Ferret in My Shoe
by MikoGoddess
Summary: Harry finds Malfoy in a petshop and brings him home, wanting to know why he was there, and why he was a ferret again. What ensues is a bit of this, a bit of that, and a dash of slash. HPDM, after 6th year, no DH. Now with more plot!
1. Adopting a Ferret

**A/N:** Weeee, looks like this will be my first post for Harry Potter. (I've got about three fics in the works, this is just the only one I actually started at the beginning…) Just a random idea I had, nothing too serious in this fic, just something fun I guess. So enjoy!

**Summary:** Walking through the pet shop, Harry finds Malfoy among the ferrets, and convinces his family to bring him home. What unravels from there is a bit of this, a bit of that, and a dash of slash. ::grins::

**Warnings:** Uh….slash, shounen-ai, boyXboy…whatever you want to call it. But if you've read any of my other recent fics, you should know by now…hehe. And maybe some cussing. I throw random words in when I deem them necessary.

**Disclaimer:**The announcement of Dumbledore being gay was a surprise to me. I would not have been surprised if I owned Harry Potter. (That was a pretty awesome announcement though. I still laugh when I think about it. Though really…I should've seen that one coming…)

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**Chapter 1: **Adopting a Ferret

* * *

Harry rolled his eyes as Dudley asked for yet _another_ item that he probably had two or three of back home.

"Oh! Mum, mum, pleeeeeeeeaaaase? I've wanted one of these for _ages_!" he exclaimed, pointing to some action figure or another lined up in a row of identical brightly colored plastic figurines on a shelf in the store. He used the voice that always worked on Petunia, and she would buy him whatever it is he asked for. It made Harry gag. If he'd used that sort of voice, he'd surely be 'properly chastised' before being told to wait in the car with the windows up or something.

Actually, Harry wasn't even sure why he'd been brought along on this little shopping excursion to begin with. It was only just into the summer after his sixth year. Three days, to be precise. To his best knowledge, it was so they could keep an eye out on him; most likely they were afraid he would ruin the house or something equally as ridiculous before Aunt Marge was to visit that weekend.

If only he'd had a chance to exchange some galleons for pounds, this trip might be a bit more enjoyable. Then again, that probably wouldn't be the best of ideas since the Dursleys would be wondering where he got the money. Harry sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets as they left the toy store, and moved along through the mall. The next stop they made was, oddly enough, a pet shop.

Apparently Dudley had seen something in the window that struck his interests, so the odd family entered this store as well. In fact, Harry was quite sure there wasn't a store in this mall that they _hadn't _been into. With a shake of his head, he began to wander aimlessly down the aisles and pet displays as his aunt and uncle followed Dudley. He'd just passed the reptiles – which he determinedly did not look at; it wouldn't do to get kicked out of the store – when he heard quite a ruckus from a glass case to his right. A whole lot of squeaking, actually.

With a start at being pulled from his musings, he quickly turned to the noise, a bit surprised to see he was at the display of ferrets. There were about five of them in the cage, but it was the one at the front that caught his attention. It was making quite a bit of noise and running around in circles, periodically slamming its front paws as hard as it could against the clear wall between them. Harry looked around curiously for a second, wondering if this was normal behavior for this animal, before he knelt down in front of the cage. "Hey little guy," he whispered, pressing his fingers against the cage. "What's the matter with you?"

And that was when the ferret looked at him. He nearly fell backwards onto the floor. It was a pure white ferret, and its eyes were a gray color with a silver shine and a blue undertone. He would know those eyes anywhere. "_Malfoy?_" he asked incredulously, seriously starting to doubt his sanity.

The ferret jumped up, placing its paws against the cage and nodded. Harry felt his jaw drop. What the hell was Malfoy of all people doing in Surrey? And _why_ in Merlin's name was he a ferret…again? Harry quickly turned his head to both sides, wondering if this was some sort of trick. But no cameras were pointed at him, and there was no one laughing. This was insane. He turned back to the ferret, which was looking decidedly worried at this point, and said "Hold on" before turning to find his relatives.

He didn't have far to walk; in fact he'd only taken two steps before the Dursleys appeared around the corner of a nearby pet toy isle. Clearing his throat nervously, Harry stepped up to his uncle, not believing he was about to even ask this. "Uncle Vernon…"

Beady eyes turned towards him, and the half smile that had been on Vernon's face quickly turned to a frown. "What is it boy?"

"Erm…well, I was wondering if…if I might get a ferret?" He knew the instant the words left his mouth that it was a stupid idea to have asked at all.

Vernon's eyes narrowed into a glare, and he flicked his gaze to the cage behind Harry before looking back at his nephew. "And why, boy, would you want one of those useless critters?"

Harry tugged at his bangs in a manner that had become a nervous habit because of his scar. "Er, well I –" He was saved from having to figure out a reason as Dudley shoved past him, being sure to bump his shoulder heavily on the way, and went to look at the ferrets in the cage. He turned back to his family, and grinned evilly at Harry.

"Daddy, could _I_ have one?" he asked innocently, and Harry's jaw dropped at the boy's audacity. He was only asking for one to spite him! What a stupid thing to do. However, if it got Malfoy-ferret into the house, then it was a start. He decided to play along for now, and glared at Dudley.

"Duddikens, sweety, are you sure you want one of those nasty little rats?" She asked, obviously torn between giving her son what he wants, and the sanitation of her beloved house.

Harry decided a helpful comment was necessary. "But that's not fair…" it was a quiet whine, but enough to catch Vernon's attention, and the man grinned much like his son had been doing before.

"Now Petunia, every good boy should get a pet. If he wants the ferret I say let him have it."

Petunia hesitated for a few moments, before reluctantly giving in to the two males' wishes. "Well alright. I'll go get a cage for it."

Dudley looked as if he'd just won some grand prize, and Harry hid a smirk. Dudley really could be too stupid for his own good sometimes. The soon-to-be proud ferret owner reached down to pick up the only ferret near him. He squeezed it tightly in his pudgy hand, and the creature squeaked in discomfort.

"Careful Dudley, you'll hurt him!" Imploring gray eyes looked up at him, but Harry could only shrug helplessly as Dudley pulled his hand out of his reach, thoroughly preventing him from lending any help.

"What's it matter to you what I do with _my_ ferret, Potter?" Dudley sneered – quite pathetically when compared to Malfoy – and it was then Harry realized that two of the people who hated him most were standing in front of him…together.

'_What have I just done…' _he thought miserably. He'd done a lot of stupid and brash things in his life, but right now he was thinking this had to be among the top ten. '_Yes, let's bring my archrival into my house! Brilliant! Now let's invite Voldemort to join us for tea, shall we?'_ Harry snorted at his own thought process, and decided he should pick up some sort of hobby besides making enemies.

Mindlessly Harry followed the Dursleys as they picked up a few things for the new pet, idly noting that they bought only the bare minimum, including a cage far too small. '_Why bother getting a pet if you're not even going to take care of it properly?'_ He glanced up, and caught Malfoy-ferret looking at him almost pleadingly from Dudley's grasp.

Narrowing his eyes, Harry tried to think again of a good – and believable – reason Malfoy was here. But only half of his mind was set on getting these answers, as the other part was too busy feeling _sorry_ for the boy, as he was apt to feel for anything unfortunate enough to fall within Dudley's clutches. And then another part of his brain was occupied with being appalled with the fact that he was feeling any sympathy for Malfoy at all, even if it was hard to remember who it was when hidden under the guise of a helpless fluffy critter.

After they'd bought everything, Dudley pulled out the cage, and grabbed Malfoy-ferret, who apparently rather disliked the notion of being put into the cage. Harry actually had to agree on that one…the cage was ridiculously small. With a lot of squeaking, struggling, and lashing out with teeth and claws, the human-turned-animal managed to break free from Dudley's fingers, and leapt toward Harry, who caught him easily with seeker-trained reflexes.

Dudley yelped, and cradled his barely-injured hand as if it had been broken, and Malfoy-ferret ran up Harry's arm, curling around his neck to hide beneath the hair that just touched the base of his neck. Harry was surprised to feel that the animal was actually shivering. He craned his head curiously to the side to glimpse his new neck-warmer, and was a bit taken aback at the panicked expression visible in the eyes. Slowly he reached a hand up, and stroked the ferret's head until it calmed down. "Hey," he whispered softly, so that the Dursleys pouring over Dudley's 'wound' wouldn't hear (Harry was forcibly reminded of a certain incident involving Malfoy and a hippogriff). "Behave yourself okay? If you don't they'll send you right back. I'll come get you later, but I can't do anything now. Now get into the cage; it's only temporary, I promise."

The gray eyes locked onto his own, and simply stared for a moment. The look was doubtful, but reluctantly acceptant, since he really had no other choice if he wanted to get out of this pet shop into a house where someone actually knew what he was. He nodded once – an action that was more like a twitch than anything else, and Harry smiled.

After the pet shop adventure, Vernon decided it was time to go home, as it was nearing dinnertime, and we all know Vernon loves his food. The car trip back seemed extraordinarily tense to Harry, but perhaps that was because of the knowledge that his school rival was sitting in a small cage between him and his cousin trying to catch his hair on fire by glaring, or surely something very similar. When they arrived back at the house, Harry was gruffly ordered to grab their bags as the rest of the family made their way into the house.

Harry sighed, but knew better than to fight back. It was going to take him two trips to get all of the bags inside, so he quickly grabbed as many as he could, and tottered awkwardly through the doorway with the load, setting them down on the table in the living room. From the corner of his eye, he saw Dudley taking his new pet into his room, and frowned. That could make things difficult indeed.

After he hauled the rest of the bags into the house, he went straight to his own room, leaving the new items unloaded in the living room. After all, nothing in them was his. He flopped down onto his worn bed and sighed heavily, blowing his bangs from his face. He couldn't quite believe he'd just done what he had. Draco Malfoy, of all people, was in his house.

But at least now, he might get some answers. Last year he had constantly wondered what the boy was up to, so much in fact that his friends were actually calling him obsessed. Harry, of course, would deny this completely before going off to follow Malfoy and try to figure out why he was acting so suspicious.

With another sigh Harry rolled over onto his side, and stared blankly at the white wall until he fell asleep. He might as well get some rest before he was asked to get up and cook something for dinner, or to do some other menial task.

* * *

Three days later was the due date for Aunt Marge's arrival. Harry was sure he had cleaned every corner of the house at least twice per Petunia's orders, and he hadn't once seen Malfoy again. He could only hope that Dudley hadn't done anything terrible to him…or inadvertently killed him somehow. It just seemed like something Dudley would do. Then he caught himself worrying for his rival and glared in annoyance at the nearest wall. Ferret-boy was going to owe him big time when all this was said and done.

Harry was abruptly pulled from his thoughts by the sound of the doorbell ringing throughout the house. There was a sudden scramble downstairs as the Dursleys prepared themselves for the arrival of the wicked witch of the – er, Aunt Marge, of course. He heard Petunia answer the door, and rolled his eyes as she put on the 'perfect host' act. He had been asked (ordered by threat of punishment) to stay in his room until dinner. Then he was to come down, cook for everyone and basically play waiter to those who called themselves his family. Harry very nearly growled at the thought.

"Boy!"

Harry sighed heavily as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. Ah yes, the call to dinner. With a bit of grumbling, he made his way downstairs and into the kitchen, managing to sneak past his reacquainting relatives. Over the many years of being forced to play chef, he had become rather adept in the kitchen, and only half his mind was on his actions as he began pulling out the necessary ingredients to make lasagna. The other half was still stuck in the repetitive cycle of worrying about Malfoy, then being annoyed for worrying about Malfoy, and over and over again.

With his mind so preoccupied, Harry was glad when no one disturbed him in the kitchen, and he was able to complete the meal in relative peace. It was when he walked through that doorway into the dining room, though, that everything started going downhill.

"Ah, so _there's_ that delinquent," Marge sniffed disdainfully as soon as she was able to see him, and Harry suddenly wished he hadn't put as much effort into the food as he did. "Such a shame you're still saddled with such a…_burden_," she said sympathetically, laying a hand on Vernon's arm.

Harry inhaled deeply through his nose, willing himself to ignore the woman he was forced to call 'aunt.' He set the dish of lasagna on the table, thinking to himself, '_I hope you all choke on it.'_ His attention was drawn away though when Marge's dog, Ripper, suddenly went crazy, pulling at the leash tied to the woman's chair. The noise was quickly followed by a lot of frightened squeaking, and Harry's eyes immediately snapped toward Dudley. Sure enough, in his lap, was the small cage holding Malfoy.

Their eyes met for a moment, and then all hell broke loose. Marge's dog finally broke free, as the leash holding him snapped. Ripper leapt forward, surprising Dudley so much that he toppled backward in his chair. Malfoy's cage flew to the side, and the door came unlatched as it hit the floor. Petunia squealed as the rodent fled from the cage as fast as his small feet would carry him. The two animals raced in circles around the table as Petunia screeched at her husband to do something, Marge yelled at her dog to stop, and Vernon just turned around and yelled at Harry.

In the midst of everything, Harry finally managed to spot Malfoy as the boy ran towards him. Ignoring his uncle completely, he reached out and scooped up the frightened animal in his hands, before turning and bolting towards his room. The dog followed him all the way, and he had to slam his door quickly, almost laughing at the '_thump_' from the other side as the dog barreled into it. Harry lifted the ferret so that they were face-to-face, feeling the fluttering heartbeat of the frightened animal, and narrowed his eyes. "This had damn well better be worth it…" he muttered, and then heavy footsteps were pounding up the stairs.

Harry only had time to move away from the door and shove Malfoy under his pillow with a whispered, 'Stay there' before his uncle nearly knocked the door from its hinges in his fury. Harry was quite sure he'd never seen his uncle so mad before; his face was an unhealthily dark shade of red, and his nostrils flared with each heavy breath. Marge stood behind him, restraining Ripper by the short bit of leash left attached to his collar.

Vernon, paying no mind to anything else, walked up to Harry. "You ungrateful brat!" he yelled. "Thanks to you dinner was ruined!" And in an unexpected move, he lifted his arm, and backhanded Harry across the head. Harry cried out as the force of the blow knocked him over towards the bed, and he fell awkwardly half on top of it. He coughed as the edge of the bed frame caught his ribs. He wasn't even going to try and point out that the ruined dinner was in _no way_ his fault.

There was a moment of silence, as everyone stared at Vernon in surprise. Harry, after taking a moment to recover and getting his vision to focus again, looked up at his uncle, and did _not_ like the look in the man's eyes. There seemed to be a sort of crazed power behind them as the man stared at his hand. He turned his glare to Harry again, and swept his foot forward, catching his nephew's stomach and knocking him backwards.

Harry lay on his side, not daring to move in fear of this new side of his uncle. He focused solely on getting air into his lungs, as they seemed to be protesting even that simple concept. "Consider that a warning, boy," his uncle growled, seemingly unfazed by what he had just done. And then he was gone, slamming the door and locking the many locks on the other side.

Finally safe from his uncle's wrath, Harry brought his hand to his stomach, and sat up with much difficulty, coughing up a small amount of blood. "Damn…" he muttered, and pulled himself over to his bed so he could sit on the mattress. Once on top of his bed, he let himself fall onto his back and closed his eyes, trying to will away the pain, and the shock of what had just happened. As soon as his head hit the pillow, though, his eyes snapped open again. Had his pillow just squeaked? Then it dawned on him. "Double damn…"

Malfoy crawled out from under the pillow, wide-eyed and shivering. Harry wondered absently whether that was Malfoy, or a ferret instinct. "That's the first time he's ever hit me, you know…" Harry mumbled without looking at the animal, feeling some strange need to somehow defend himself. He felt small paws on his arm, and looked over to see Malfoy bracing his front paws on his forearm, staring at him calculatingly.

Harry gave him a humorless smile. "Yeah, believe it or not, my life is not all the sunshine and roses you probably think it is. Though I'd definitely rather you not have seen that…" Malfoy-ferret crawled up a little further, and made as if to crawl onto his chest. Harry grunted at the pressure. "Ow…not the ribs…that hurts." Immediately the pressure left, and a corner of Harry's lips quirked into a small smirk. "So you do have _some_ compassion at least…"

The ferret snorted, and Harry chuckled, but the noise immediately faded into a groan as it hurt both his ribs and stomach. Then a thought struck him and he sighed, turning to look at Malfoy who was sitting beside his shoulder, looking as if he wanted to do something, but was trying to look indifferent at the same time. "Oh and…you might have to wait a bit before I can change you back…my birthday isn't until the end of July…so, I guess just bear with me until then?"

If ferrets could groan, Harry would swear this one just did. But then he supposed that was from the fact that it wasn't _really_ a ferret to begin with. "Sorry…I promise, as soon as I can, I'll change you back." His gaze suddenly turned stern. "But then I want some answers from you."

Malfoy glared back at him, and stuck out his little ferret tongue. Harry blinked a couple of times, and then burst into laughter at the absurdity of the gesture. Malfoy squeaked indignantly, but soon stopped as tears began streaming down Harry's face, and the laughter became a strange cross between laughing and sobbing. Without thinking, the boy reached out, and pulled the ferret close to him, burying his face in the soft, white fur. Malfoy decided to let it go this time, as the boy _had_ just been beaten by his own uncle. He decided to store the questions about that one in his mind so he could ask about it when he was human again. For now, He let Harry hold him, and tried to ignore the tears soaking into his fur.

* * *

The next morning, Harry awoke to the strangest feeling; it rather felt like something…nibbling…at his nose. He opened his eyes, and had to cross them as he noticed that something actually _was _nibbling at his nose. "Wha- what the hell?" he muttered, grabbing the ferret around the middle and dragging it away from his face. He saw a glint of amusement in the silver eyes, and narrowed his own. "Git," he mumbled, still half asleep, and moved to sit up. He sucked in a breath through his teeth as the movement jarred several very sore spots.

Throwing his feet over the edge of the bed, Harry stood and walked over to the mirror on the other side of the room, taking off his shirt to examine the damage done. He winced involuntarily at the deep purple-blue bruises marring his skin; one on his ribs from the bed, and the other on his stomach, placed by his uncle's foot. He tenderly touched one of them, and flinched, deciding it would be better to leave them alone. There was a nice matching bruise on his cheek, too. He glanced to the door, and realized he couldn't get to the bathroom to clean himself off with all the locks bolted shut. Then his eyes moved back to the mirror, and he noticed the ferret sitting on his bed, staring at him unabashedly. Harry glared through the glass. "What are you looking at?" he asked grumpily.

Malfoy-ferret sniffed and turned his head to the side, causing Harry to roll his eyes. Then he peered closer, before turning around to get a better look at the animal. He hadn't taken much notice of his rival's condition last night through all the chaos, but now that he took the time to look, he realized he looked a little thin, even for a ferret. Walking over to the bed, Harry knelt before the small animal, ignoring the pain in his side for now. "Dudley hasn't been feeding you well, has he?" Harry asked gently.

The look the ferret returned to him gave Harry the distinct impression that he was being insulted simply through the silver gaze. Harry sighed, and threw another glance at the door. "I'm sorry you had to be dragged into this…I don't think you'll get much more food with me…" Without elaborating, Harry stood up and walked over to the window, looking into the driveway to check for his uncle's car. '_Good, he's left for work already.'_

Harry pulled his shirt back on, then walked to his door, and knocked as loud as he dared. "Aunt Petunia?" he called, praying to anyone that would listen that she had at least some shred of humanity in her. Soon he heard quick steps approaching his door.

"What is it?" she snapped, though not viciously enough to deter Harry.

"I- I've got to use the loo," he said tentatively. There was a sigh from the other side of the door, before the sound of locks being unlatched reached his ears, and Harry let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The door opened and Harry was met with the stern glare of his aunt.

"I will leave this door unlocked so that you may use the bathroom, but you are to go nowhere else, understand?" Her gaze was unrelenting, and Harry knew not to defy her. It seems they were still angry.

Harry nodded, defeated. It was better than nothing, he supposed. "Yes, Aunt Petunia." She stuck her nose up in the air, her expression stating that she would rather be anywhere else than where she was at the moment. With a short nod, she was heading back down the stairs, and Harry closed his eyes and leaned against the doorframe. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes, and looked to the ferret on his bed. With a cautious glance down the hallway, he noted that Petunia had gone to her room, leaving the rest of the house clear, as Vernon was gone and Dudley was most likely out terrorizing the neighborhood with his gang.

Listening for a couple more seconds to make sure she would stay, Harry walked over and grabbed a fresh set of clothing from his drawers, and then walked over to address the ferret. "Alright Malfoy, listen up. They're not going to be bringing any food up here, and I'm not allowed into the kitchen. There are some muffins sitting on the kitchen counter, near the fridge. You can use the drawers to climb up and-" He stopped when he noticed the look of incredulity he was receiving. Harry sighed heavily and said seriously, "Look, Malfoy, if you want to eat, you'll have to do this. Go now while most everyone is gone, and Aunt Petunia is busy in her room. You've seen where the kitchen is, just go down there, grab the muffin, and bring it back up here. And _don't_ get caught. I've got to go take a shower."

Malfoy glared hard at Harry, as if what he'd just said was the most absurd idea he'd ever heard. Which probably, Harry mused, was very likely the case. "Sorry I can't do anymore. I…I'll make it up to you, okay?" When Malfoy looked confused, Harry smiled slightly. "Yeah I may hate you, and you may be a right git, but…you didn't ask for this." Harry averted his eyes in slight embarrassment. Great, his injuries were making him delirious…he was being _nice_ to Malfoy! "Ugh, I'm going to go shower now. Whether you eat today is up to you, and if you decide to do it, then…good luck." And with that he walked out of his room, and to the bathroom just down the hall.

Draco spent a moment glaring after the spot Harry had just been in, trying to figure out if this was all some big joke, but then he heard the shower turn on, and resigned himself to stealing that muffin from the kitchen. He would definitely have to yell at Potter for this later, though.

When Harry walked back into the room about half an hour later, he spotted Malfoy on the bed, nibbling on the muffin…and getting crumbs anywhere. Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Is that your revenge for making you do that? Getting muffin crumbs all over my bed?" he asked with an amused glint in his eye.

The ferret made some odd noise to him that was rather like a hiss. Harry raised his eyebrows, and Malfoy turned his back to him, continuing to messily eat the muffin. Harry decided to just ignore him for now, and walked over to his desk, opting to sit and stare out the window instead.

At this rate, it was going to be a _long_ summer vacation, and Harry found himself glancing at the calendar on the wall, willing it to go faster so this summer, which was starting out as a nightmare, might end and he could return to Hogwarts once again.

* * *

Well I was intending to make it a bit longer, but I've decided to put the other stuff in the next chapter. 9 pages is a pretty good length anyway… really I probably shouldn't even be posting this, since it takes me so long to update SC already…but this will probably be kinda short. I really have no idea what's gonna happen or anything, so we'll see.

Anyway, leave a review, and tell me what you think, ya? ::smiles imploringly::


	2. A Different Kind of Summer

**A/N: **Wow…I'm so happy…you guys are amazing! The morning (early morning) after I posted chapter one, I had 18 emails in my inbox! (and that was only the start!) I'm glad to see so many people seem to like it. I always prefer reviews… ::wink wink nudge nudge:: but thanks for the fav/alert adds too! Draco Ferret plushies for everyone! Hehe.

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**Chapter 2:** A Different Kind of Summer

* * *

The entire day was spent pretty much doing nothing. Malfoy made it clear several times that he was bored, and would start pestering Harry, purposely trying to piss him off it seemed. At one point Harry had snapped and threatened to throw Malfoy back in the little cage if he didn't stop bothering him. The ferret made his annoyance known, but went over to curl up on the bed and sleep anyway. Harry just sighed, and went back to his half-asleep state staring out the window.

It was later in the evening that something eventually happened, though Harry found he would have much rather continued to wallow in his boredom. Harry had been dreaming of something, nothing significant, when his door slammed open with such force that it knocked against the adjacent wall. Harry jumped, and fell gracelessly from his chair with a yelp, while Malfoy darted under Harry's pillow – his newfound safe place – in fright.

Harry turned around, rather expecting his uncle to be standing in the doorway, and was only slightly surprised to see Dudley standing there, grinning quite maliciously. "A'ight, Potter, what'd ya do with my ferret?"

Harry blinked, and raised his eyebrows. "Dudley, are you…_drunk_?" He asked, amazed that the boy would dare come home in such a state.

Dudley's beady eyes narrowed, and he frowned down at Harry. "_No_, I'm not _drunk_," he muttered.

Harry's nose scrunched up, as he could smell the boy clear across the room. "Yeah right…you reek of alcohol and smoke."

"Shut up!" Dudley said harshly, and moved forward as quick as he could, grabbing Harry by the collar of his shirt and lifting him to his feet. Harry glared at Dudley, grabbing futilely at the large hand holding him in place. "So? Where is he?" Dudley asked again.

"Dead," Harry answered in a deadpan. "You starved him and he's fucking dead. Now let _go_."

Malfoy watched in slight awe from his place beneath the pillow. He was pretty sure he'd never heard Potter's voice sound so dangerous, and he'd spent years antagonizing the boy. How strange that his hatred for his family should be so much worse than that of his school rival. He found himself truly realizing, for the first time, that perhaps Potter really was more than he gave him credit for. Had his discontent and jealousy been misplaced all these years?

"And why should I?" Dudley mocked, emphasizing his advantage by shoving Harry against the wall. "It's been a while since we _talked_, hm?"

"Yeah, let's keep it that way, shall we? After all, wouldn't want you to exert your poor, overworked brain," Harry retorted, a dark sort of amusement in his voice. Malfoy rolled his eyes at the Gryffindor behavior. Did Potter _enjoy_ provoking his enemies?

Dudley made some strangled noise of anger, and pulled his hand back. Harry narrowed his eyes. "I wouldn't if I were you."

"And why not?" Dudley asked, obviously seeing no threat in Harry's words.

"Because…" Harry explained slowly, as if talking to a child. "I'll tell your mum and dad what you really get up to while they think you're out having tea with your friends.

Dudley's eyes narrowed. "They wouldn't believe _you_," he snarled, his confidence obvious by his tone.

Harry scoffed. "They would when they realize how strongly you smell of smoke and alcohol," he retorted, lifting an eyebrow as if daring Dudley to deny this fact.

The large boy's eyes widened a fraction, before he narrowed them again. He stared his cousin down for a long time, obviously annoyed at the confidence in Harry's green gaze. "Fine," he finally conceded. "But don't expect to hide from me forever." And with one forceful push so that Harry's head banged against the wall, he turned and strode (or perhaps more like waddled angrily) from the room.

Harry's grin after the boy left was just a little frightening to Malfoy. "Wouldn't dream of it _Dudders_…wouldn't _dream_ of it."

* * *

The next week passed in a similar manner, minus the Dudley part. Namely: boredom. Usually Harry would send Malfoy back to the kitchen to retrieve something to eat. The fourth day he almost got caught, and was forced to retreat back to the room with no food to show for his efforts. That was also the day that Malfoy realized Potter hadn't been eating anything at all. It was starting to show in the Gryffindor, as he looked a little thinner, and slept more as his body became weaker.

The next day he snagged two pieces of bread from the kitchen, as the bag had been left open – probably by Dudley, if Malfoy had to guess. When he arrived back at the room, he set one down on the bed, and then cautiously approached the desk Harry was sitting at with the other one in his mouth. He set it down on the desk, and lightly nipped at Potter's ear, which was the closest thing in reach as he had his head on the desk, in the middle of a nap. The dark head shot up, and he looked around for a moment before he noticed the ferret and the piece of bread.

Harry's brow furrowed slightly. "For me?" he asked. His voice was a bit rough, as he really hadn't been using it much over the week. Malfoy didn't exactly make the best conversationalist at the moment.

Malfoy nodded, turning in a little circle before sitting down. Harry smiled slightly at the action, and reached out a hand, stroking the ferret's snow-white fur. "Thanks," he muttered, before picking up the piece of bread and taking a bite with the other hand. "You know," he continued after he had swallowed a couple of bites, "It's kinda hard to remember who you really are under that fur sometimes. I wonder…have you enjoyed seeing me like this? I imagine it would be some twisted fantasy of yours…being able to watch me suffer in my own home…" he trailed off and sighed heavily, laying his head down again so that he was facing Malfoy. A small bite on his finger surprised him into sitting up again, and he saw the ferret glaring at him before licking the bite wound to soothe the pain. Harry's brow furrowed as he tried to figure out the possible meanings of the boy-turned-animal's actions. With a last nudge of Harry's hand toward the bread – which had been set down momentarily – Malfoy hopped off the desk and back over to the bed to eat his own food.

At the end of the week, Petunia knocked on his door in the morning, the sharp raps of her hand startling both boy and ferret into wakefulness. Although Harry awoke as much to the squeak next to his ear as he did to the door; Malfoy had taken to sleeping on the other half of his pillow, the expression in his eyes as he had done so clearly stating that it was his birthright to have something soft and cushiony to sleep on. "Get up, ya little freak," Petunia half yelled through the door. "Time you started earning your keep around here again, now come and make us breakfast." She didn't wait for a reply before stalking off back downstairs.

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. "Earn my keep…you'd think that, as family, I'd have a _right_ to stay here. But then you'd also think they would tire of calling me a freak…" But as usual, he decided to push it to the back of his mind as he got up, and got dressed for the day. He felt unsteady on his feet, as his legs protested supporting his weight, which was admittedly less than it should have been. With a last pat to the ferret on his pillow – an action he did without thinking (otherwise he wouldn't have done it at all) – Harry left the room to the kitchen, and fixed a batch of scrambled eggs for the family. He was actually relieved to be asked to do this again, because now, at least, he would be able to sneak a bit of his own food aside from the sorry excuses for meals stuck through his door occasionally.

A month passed, with little variation. Harry was asked to do more chores, and Petunia had him working outside in the garden quite a bit, keeping her flowers alive through the summer heat. His uncle hadn't touched him again, but he definitely wasn't being any nicer. And wherever he went, he could practically feel Dudley's eyes on him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Harry had taken to confiding in Malfoy at the end of the day, so desperate was he for a little companionship. He hadn't talked to his friends at all, as he had received no letters, and he told Hedwig to stay away for the summer so that she wouldn't be trapped with him. "I wonder why they haven't written to me?" Harry wondered aloud one day as he stared at all the identical houses across the street.

Malfoy had made a strange noise in response that sounded like a weird cross between a sneeze and a cough. It might have been a snort of disgust.

"Yeah, yeah, I know what you think of my friends. But still…what if they decide they don't want to be my friends anymore…that it's too dangerous or too much work or something? I wouldn't blame them, really…I probably wouldn't want to be my friend either…" He ended with a sigh, dropping his chin onto his folded arms on the desk.

That was the first day Malfoy showed something other than disdain or indifference to Harry without solid reason. He nipped Harry's arm in the closest spot, then licked it – an action Harry had taken to associate as punishment when he said something bad about himself, oddly enough – before crawling up to the back of his neck and curling up to sleep. Harry had fallen asleep soon after with a small smile upon his lips.

* * *

It was a week before Harry's birthday that things seemed to take a turn for the worst. Malfoy had been watching Harry, and he could tell that all the things he was being forced to do was taking a toll on him physically. He was often exhausted, and many days came in from yard work and simply collapsed on his bed until the next morning.

That week, Harry started looking even more tired than usual though. The first two days, nothing really seemed amiss; he just thought maybe Harry had worked harder those days. Then he developed a cough – a sort of wheezing cough that didn't sound healthy at all. Then towards the end of the week, Malfoy could feel the heat radiating from the other boy simply from his place next to him on the pillow.

The night of his birthday seemed worse than the others. Harry walked in the room that evening looking a little out of it, but he managed a smile towards Malfoy anyway. "I'll be able to change you back tonight. Come midnight, it'll be my birthday!" He grinned lopsidedly and plopped down on the bed. "Finally…I'll be of age. Boy I've waited a long time for this." He looked thoughtful for a moment, and then turned to the ferret. "You've been of age for a while now, huh? I never did wish you a happy birthday, did I…June fifth, isn't it?" He stared at the far wall for a couple of seconds before falling to the side, sound asleep.

Malfoy sat for a minute, blinking a bit in confusion at the boy's face. That had been…odd. After a moment though, he just shook his head, and curled up on the pillow next to Harry, and if he were just a little closer than usual, well, Harry wasn't going to say anything.

It was around eleven-thirty at night when Harry next woke again. He sat up, and groaned in both pain and annoyance when his head throbbed, violently protesting the action. He looked down to see Malfoy watching him curiously. "I'm going to get some Tylenol…" he muttered, already standing and heading towards the bathroom. He stopped in surprise when Malfoy jumped onto his shoulder. He thought about asking why, and then realized it would be pretty pointless, as he wouldn't get an answer anyway. He settled for a small smile at the animal instead, and walked to the bathroom.

Harry sat down heavily on the closed toilet lid, and downed two pills, before closing the bottle and putting it back in the cabinet. "What do you think is wrong with me…?" he asked rhetorically, leaning against the sink counter. "I don't usually get sick…I thought that was more of a winter thing anyway." Furrowing his brows in thought, Harry turned to the ferret. "You don't think it has anything to do with my birthday, do you? I mean, I've never really heard of getting sick because you come of age…but I don't know all that much about the wizarding world still…"

Malfoy tilted his head to the side in response. He wasn't aware of anything happening when a wizard comes of age, but then again this was Harry Potter, and the boy seemed to have a knack for being special. Since he couldn't answer with words, he climbed up Harry's arm and curled up on the top of his head, causing Harry to chuckle. Surprisingly this had become a somewhat normal occurrence, and Malfoy wondered at how easy it was to…_like_ the boy-who-lived. He wasn't sure if it was the situation that made him accepting, or if it was the boy himself that made his stay as a ferret somewhat tolerable. Either way, he decided not to dwell on these thoughts, and to just go with it.

When the throbbing in Harry's head died down to a dull ache, he stood and walked back to his bedroom. He glanced outside, and noticed the brighter-than-usual night sky. "Moon's pretty tonight…" he muttered, staring absently out the window at the near-full moon. Malfoy silently agreed.

A glance to the clock showed ten minutes till twelve. Harry sat down on his bed, and Malfoy climbed down to rest beside him. Almost immediately, Harry began petting the small animal. Malfoy wasn't sure whether he'd ever get used to that, but he had to admit it was a rather…pleasant feeling. Harry laughed shortly. "I'm going to miss this, ya know. It's been rather nice having a silent Malfoy around." He sniffed dramatically, and said in a whine, "I won't get to pet you anymore…"

Malfoy made a noise that Harry knew would've been some sort of choked, probably disbelieving laugh had he been human. "Seriously though, I– thanks."

Malfoy tilted his head to the side, his eyes obviously asking _'For what?'_

Harry averted his gaze to the far wall. "For, I dunno, I mean I guess you didn't have much choice, but…for being here with me, I guess. Ha, wow that feels weird saying that to you of all people, but I mean it. I might've gone crazy sitting here alone all summer…" He quickly cut off, and looked at the clock, jumping up before Malfoy could do anything in response. "Birthday!" he shouted childishly, throwing his arms in the air.

A small ferret-smile stretched Malfoy's lips in amusement. Potter was an interesting one, that was for sure. And then he was bending and crawling awkwardly under the bed. Malfoy peered over the edge curiously, and backed up when Harry reemerged with his wand in hand and a grin on his face.

Harry looked up, suddenly looking a little concerned. "It's just transfiguration, like last time, right?" he asked, and Malfoy nodded. Harry nodded back, and looked down, and Malfoy was wondering about the expression on the boy's face. Was it…disappointment? When he looked up though, he was smiling again. "Okay then, here goes." He lifted his wand, and Malfoy felt an actual physical change in the air; it was as if he could feel Potter's magic gathering around him. Had he always been that powerful?

He had no more time to ponder Potter's power though, as in the next moment, he felt the spell wash over him. It was odd, he noted, how this one felt so much…friendlier than the one that had originally changed him. And then he was growing, and the odd tingling sensation of his body rearranging itself traveled from head to toe. In only a moment it was over, and Malfoy blinked as he looked at his hands. "It worked!" he said and his voice cracked slightly as he hadn't used it in so long. He winced in embarrassment, and looked up. "…Potter?"

Harry was swaying on his feet. Had it always taken that much energy to use magic? He couldn't quite remember. "You're naked, did you know?"

Draco looked down and squeaked in surprise (at which he cursed the ferret body he'd been stuck in the past couple of months) and grabbed the sheet to cover himself. He was distracted soon, though, when Potter groaned and his wand clattered to the floor, which was the only warning before his eyes slid shut and his body fell forward. Draco was barely able to catch him before Harry's body came to even more harm. In the end Draco ended up trapped beneath Harry, and was rather concerned at how warm he was. He moved Harry so that he was lying down on the bed, and walked over to the dresser he'd seen Potter pull clothes from so many times. He frowned at the garments he found there, which he now knew came from his elephant of a cousin.

It pained him to have to wear such things, but it wasn't as if he had much choice. He was definitely taking Potter shopping later though. After he had dressed, he turned to look at the boy lying in the bed, his expression thoughtful. Last year he would never consider the option of simply taking his rival out shopping. And yet, he had opened his home to him…after everything that had gone on between them…quickly he shook his head, causing his now shoulder-length blonde hair to fall into his face. Now was not the time; Potter was sick and they could always talk later.

The soft stare hardening into the glare Draco Malfoy was famous for, he turned to the door and walked down the hall, where he had noted Potter's aunt and uncle's room to be. He walked up to the closed door, and banged his fist against it as hard as he could. "Wake up you worthless excuses for human beings!" he yelled through the door.

Almost immediately, the door swung inward, and Vernon stood, his face red with anger, and his mustache twitching in annoyance. "What the-? Wh-who are you? How did you get in my house?" His voice was a thundering growl, but Draco heard a slight quivering of fear beneath the surface. He would have smirked at that if it wouldn't ruin the cold, angry look he was going for.

"Your nephew is sick. Do something about it."

The large man's eyes narrowed, causing them to almost disappear beneath his eyebrows and cheeks. "You're one of _them_ then, are you?" he asked, mouth twisting even further into a frown, if that were possible.

"If by _them_, you mean a _wizard_, then yes, I am," Draco replied, the pride in his voice at such a fact very apparent. As soon as he answered, though, the door was slammed in his face. He took a moment to stare at the door incredulously. _Nobody_ slams the door on a _Malfoy_! "You would let him die, then?"

"He'd be doing the world a favor!" Vernon shouted back.

Draco was amazed to say the least. He may not have had the most affectionate family, but he knew they would never wish one another _dead._ Had this man no heart? Even _he_ had never wished that on Potter. "You're _sick_," He whispered venomously, before turning on his heel and striding back to Potter's room, thoughts of gruesome muggle deaths dancing happily through his head.

Harry was lying in the same spot Draco had left him. His breaths were short, and he was sweating from the fever engulfing his body. Draco swallowed, and made a split-second decision to get him out of this house. He grabbed Potter's wand from the floor and, hoping he was at least somewhat compatible with the wand's core, said, "_Accio_, Potter's possessions!"

A cloak and photo album flew from under the bed where the wand had been pulled from, and he took a second to admire the invisibility cloak before he heard a persistent '_thump'_ from downstairs. Turning a curious gaze in the direction, he left the room, and stepped cautiously down the stairs. When he located the noise, he realized it was coming from the cupboard underneath them. Blinking in surprise, he cast 'alohamora' on the door, and stepped quickly to the side as Potter's trunk barreled out of the small space. He caught a glimpse of a small bed inside the cupboard, and raised an eyebrow. He would have to ask about _that_ one later, too.

So now with trunk in tow, he walked back up to Potter's room, and put the remaining items in the trunk, careful not to damage the shrunken broom settled on top. When that was finished, he shrank the trunk and placed it in his pocket before walking over to the bed. "I suppose you can consider this my repaying you," he muttered to the sleeping form, still wanting to justify this kindness. It wasn't something he typically liked to show, as it made him feel weak, and vulnerable. He then placed a hand around Potter's shoulders, and the other beneath his legs, and hoisted him up bridal style. Then with his destination firmly in mind, he turned on his heel and apparated them both to a place far away from what Draco now considered one of the hellholes of earth.

* * *

Draco didn't spare a moment to glance at the beautifully furnished living room he apparated into. He placed Potter on the overly-cushioned black couch, before turning immediately to the fireplace, and tossing in a handful of floo powder resting in a jar on the mantle. He thrust his head into the green flames, and shouted "Hogwarts, headmaster's office!" hoping against hope that someone would be there. When he saw a figure moving in the room, he nearly sighed with relief. "Professor!" he quickly exclaimed, gaining the new headmistress' attention.

McGonagall turned around, surprise etched onto her otherwise tired face. "D-Draco Malfoy?" she breathed, obviously questioning her sanity, or perhaps wondering if this was some strange dream. She was in a dark nightgown, apparently heading back to bed.

Draco cut her off before she could start asking questions. "No time! Is Madame Pomfrey there? It's Potter: he's sick."

Minerva looked thrown for a moment, before she regained her bearings. "I, yes she— Harry is with you?"

"I'll explain later, just, have her come, please? I'll leave the network open." And then he pulled his head from the fire, hoping she would believe him. The thought only just now crossed his mind that she might think it to be some sort of trap.

His worries were short lived, though, as only a couple minutes later, McGonagall stepped through his fireplace, shortly followed by the school's mediwitch. Draco stepped back as the two women fussed over the unconscious boy. He was going to have a lot of answering to, and he couldn't say he was looking forward to it.

* * *

Harry awoke several hours later to a wonderful feeling of warmth. He was wrapped in a very soft blanket, and he could hear a fire crackling nearby. He sighed happily, and snuggled down further into the blanket, and the delightful softness of whatever he was lying on.

A chuckle sounded from nearby, and Harry's eyes snapped open. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone look quite so content," Malfoy mused, his voice, to Harry, just as soothing as the blanket. Then he blinked and decided not to put any more thought to _that_ idea. His gaze lighted on the blonde, who sat in a large armchair across from the couch. His feet were tucked beneath him, and he held a book in hand, a cup of tea sat on the coffee table in front of them.

Harry blushed slightly at the words. "It's comfortable…" he muttered, and then said in a louder voice, "Where are we, anyway?"

"It's a family safe-house. One of the less used, but I thought it might serve our purpose nicely." He marked his place in the book with a bookmark, and set it to the side. "Would you like something to eat?"

Harry blinked a bit in surprise. Malfoy was acting like…well, like a friend would be in this sort of situation. Even though he had spent the summer with him companionably, it had been different when the other boy had been a ferret. Now it just seemed…weird. "I…yeah, food sounds good…" And then he ducked his head under the covers, not quite sure why he was embarrassed, but was nonetheless.

Malfoy's lips twitched in amusement at the sight before he walked into the kitchen. Harry's eyes followed him from just above the edge of the blanket, but he was forced to sit up as the boy came back in with a bowl of soup. Harry could practically feel his mouth watering as the scent of the vegetable soup reached his nose.

"It's about time we got some real food in that stomach of yours, otherwise I might be blamed for your death!" he said as he handed Harry the bowl.

Harry found a smile pulling at his lips despite himself. "Can't have that, can we?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Eat. We'll talk when you finish that."

Harry's mood became more somber as he nodded, and brought a spoonful of the soup to his lips. He savored the flavor as it passed over his tongue. "This is good. Did you make it?" Harry asked, and jumped a bit in surprise as he looked up and noticed Malfoy had been watching him.

"I did," the blonde answered, his expression never changing.

Harry felt his cheeks warm again under the gaze, and he quickly went back to eating. The boy didn't have to _stare_ like that, after all! "I didn't know you could cook."

Draco chuckled in response. "Honestly, I can't cook much. I've grown up with house elves to do that, but I did pick up a couple things here and there. You're probably far better than I."

Harry looked up in surprise. "You just—"

"However," Draco cut him off, smirking slightly when he saw Harry's slightly miffed expression at being cut off, "I've figured out why you do so horribly in potions."

"You…have?"

"Well aside from Severus's obvious attempts to cause you to make a mistake, you try to brew potions in the same way you cook. Sure your cooking is great, from what I tasted, but you go by feel on that. Potions require a precise and delicate procedure. You need to learn to separate the two."

"O-oh. Erm, thanks," Harry mumbled without looking up from his soup. He couldn't figure out how to handle the situation; he was too used to the only words flying between them being insults, shouts, or threats. They were silent again as Harry finished his soup, and Malfoy drank his tea, staring absently into the flames of the fire. As Harry finished the soup, he suddenly realized he wasn't feeling near as terrible as he had before. "Hey, how long was I out?" he asked, setting the bowl gently on the dark wood table. He hoped it hadn't been days or some other ridiculous amount of time.

"Hmm…? Oh, it's only been a few hours," Malfoy replied with a wave of his hand, pulling himself from whatever thoughts he had been lost in. "Ah, you're finished. Good. How do you feel?"

"I feel…a lot better actually," he replied, still trying to figure out the best way to act around this new side of Malfoy.

Draco nodded once. "Good, McGonagall said you should be feeling better soon."

Harry's head snapped up at that. "McGonagall? She was here?"

"Mmhm, I called her and Pomfrey as soon as we got here. Surely you didn't expect me to care for you myself?" he asked, and Harry looked up in confusion, before seeing the glint of amusement in the gray eyes. "I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to medical business," he added, getting up to take Harry's bowl into the kitchen. When he came back, he was carrying another cup, and a pitcher of tea. He filled both of their cups, and sat back down in his armchair. "So first things first, there are a couple of things I am supposed to let you know."

Sensing a serious conversation, Harry repositioned himself more comfortably, and brought the blanket up to his shoulders again. "And what would those be?"

"McGonagall told me of the protection spell with your relatives." Harry's eyebrows rose, but he made no comment, so Draco continued. "Apparently there was a catch, though. She said that no one had realized it, but with that protection, a lock was placed upon your powers."

"A lock?" Harry asked, unable to stop himself from commenting that time. "But why? Or…how?"

Draco shook his head, and Harry really took notice for the first time how long the boy's hair had gotten. His fingers twitched with the urge to touch it, and he curled his hand into a fist. "I'm not sure exactly. She said it was an unintended side-affect. It was supposed to make you less noticeable, or something. And that was the reason you got sick. As your birthday neared, the strength of the spell began to wane, and your magic instinctively tried to break that lock restraining it. Unfortunately, magic requires energy from the body, and you had none to spare, as you hadn't been eating properly. So the strain of your magic, combined with the physical exertions of your chores, overloaded your body and you got sick. Madame Pomfrey gave you a nutrient potion, and another to calm your magic some, so you should be fine now. More powerful, but generally fine."

Harry was silent for a while as he thought that over. "So, how much of my magic was being restrained then?" He finally asked.

Draco shrugged in response. "I suppose that's something you'll have to find out for yourself. We've got a cellar below you can use to test your powers later. But right now I believe we both have questions?"

Harry nodded slowly, trying to pick out which question of the million he wanted to ask first. He was saved the trouble of choosing when he ended up blurting out the one at the forefront of his mind. "Why are you so…_nice_?" Immediately his eyes widened, and he brought his hand up to cover his mouth, as if it had betrayed him.

There was a pause, in which Harry cringed, waiting for some switch to Malfoy's old personality or something, so he was very surprised when he heard laughter. He looked up sharply, to see Malfoy's head tilted back, and a genuinely amused expression on his face. Harry found himself smiling slightly in response, as he was sure he had never seen the proud aristocrat smile like that before.

When Draco stopped laughing, he turned his gaze to the fire, looking thoughtful. "You know…that explanation requires a bit of Hufflepuff sentimentality I'm not sure I want to throw out there…" He said with a very slight smile.

Harry was quick to join the conversation. "Oh, but you know us Gryffindors. I've got to know all your thoughts and emotions to deem you trustworthy."

Draco's sharp gaze turned to him then, and he said seriously, "You trusted me before."

Harry was thrown by the sudden tone change, and asked a bit uncertainly, "What?"

"When you allowed me to stay in your home. After everything that happened last year…it could have been a trick or something. Then again, as you said, you are a Gryffindor…you don't stop to think about things like that do you?" He finished with a small smirk at the boy across from him.

It was…weird, Harry decided. The insult was still there, but it was said in such a way that it didn't feel insulting at all. He realized Malfoy was a master of words; he could probably say anything, and it would come out just the way he wanted it, no matter what. He gave a small, crooked smile in return, and replied, "Well first of all, I wouldn't even call that place a _home_. Second of all, you're right, I didn't think about a trap. I just wanted to know why you were a ferret and why you were in Surrey. Come to think of it…that probably was pretty stupid, huh?"

Draco chuckled and shook his head. "Typical. But the fact remains, that you didn't leave me there, as you so easily could have. Oh, and your cousin is absolutely horrid by the way."

Harry snorted in response. "Oh I know. I've been his favorite punching bag for years."

"Ah, I thought you looked a little too familiar with the situation when he threatened you that one day…"

Harry felt his good mood slipping as they got into conversation about his family. "Yeah, I've learned to deal with him. He's big, but stupid. I- I'm sorry. I felt bad about making you get that food by yourself…but I didn't want you to go hungry, ya know. I doubt a ferret can last as long as a human without food, and I—" he cut off as Malfoy interrupted.

"Potter, you're babbling. Don't…don't worry about it. It was a…learning experience, I suppose you could say." He took a deep breath, and Harry had a feeling he might be ready to reveal those 'Hufflepuff thoughts' mentioned before. "I think a part of me has always been somewhat obsessed with you." He chanced a glance at Harry, and glared at the raised eyebrows. "Oh don't look so surprised, I know that works both ways."

Harry laughed a bit at that – as he very well couldn't deny it – and the atmosphere relaxed again around them.

"When you denied my hand on the train that day our first year, I was furious. No one had ever turned down my friendship, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why _you_ did. Everything I knew at that point was what my father had taught me and, well, you've seen _his_ social skills." He paused and they both shared a small laugh. "I was so happy I'd found you again on the train after our first meeting in Madame Malkin's, but then you were with Weasley, and I got so _mad_ that I, well, I guess it turned into a six-year temper-tantrum."

"You know, if you had just asked to be my friend, I would have accepted in a heartbeat; it was just the way you asked that threw me off. Ron was the first friend I ever made besides Hagrid. You've seen my family; they made sure I never had friends growing up. Then I met Ron, and you came in shortly after and insulted him like it was nothing. Then the way you talked about 'wrong and right sorts' when you turned to me…frankly, you reminded me too much of my cousin."

Draco winced a bit at that. "Ouch…no wonder…"

Harry chuckled lightly. "I'm sorry. But you admitted yourself that your social skills left something to be desired." Then all of Malfoy's words caught up to him, and a sudden realization dawned on him. "Wait…what are you saying…?" Was Malfoy really _jealous_ of Ron?

Draco smiled, his whole persona seeming to change with the expression. "Figured it out, have you? Perhaps all that red and gold hasn't numbed your brain completely then."

Harry smirked back. "Hey now, I'll have you know the sorting hat wanted me in Slytherin. The only reason it didn't is because I begged it to place me anywhere _but_ there."

Draco looked interested at that. "_Really_?" A light chuckle. "You _never_ would have survived."

Harry waved him off. "That's alright, I like my house anyway. But, back to before, what you said about your behavior…"

"I've got my own mind now," Draco answered before Harry could continue. "My father is…. He used to be wonderful to me, and my mother. He would shower us in gifts for no reason, would take me riding in the pastures when the sun was out…" Draco's eyes seemed to lose focus as he lost himself in memories of a childhood long gone. Harry stayed silent. "But then, when the Dark Lord returned, he…he _changed_. His words became harsher, his punishments more severe. He would get this look in his eyes sometimes, like he wasn't _there_ anymore. It was…frightening. I accepted at first, simply because that's what I'd always done. But then it got worse and worse, and I realized that, I didn't _want_ to be like that. But by then it was too late. I was set in this path that would lead me to that same destruction."

Malfoy's voice was quiet as he finished, and Harry looked on sympathetically. "Does this have to do with…with last year?"

Draco swallowed, and nodded. "They wanted me to make the school accessible for the Death Eaters. I think he knew I couldn't do it…they threatened my mother. He was going to kill her if I didn't do as he asked…and father _let _him. I think that was the worst part." Suddenly he stopped, and laughed dryly. "Listen to me…I really do sound like a Hufflepuff."

Harry smiled softly. "That's okay. I like this side of you."

Draco blinked and looked up. "You _want_ me to be a Hufflepuff?"

Harry let out a laugh that was almost a giggle. "Malfoy, I could never in a million years see you as a Hufflepuff. No, I mean it's just…I don't know, I guess it just makes you…_human_. For six years I've watched you walk around showing nothing but hate, anger, disgust and disdain. I hadn't seen you truly smile until today. This…this is the boy I would have gladly been friends with in first year."

There was a long silence after that, and Draco seemed to be fighting something within himself. "You have to realize, though, that's still who I am. It's just…not _all _of who I am. Then he stood up and walked over to the couch. "And the you I saw over the summer wasn't the better-than-you, I-can-get-away-with-anything-because-I'm-famous brat I always saw during school."

Harry chuckled a bit at that. "I think you're getting your views confused with Snape's."

Draco smirked in response. "My point _being_, I want to start over. I think there's more to both of us than we first thought. So…" He paused for only a moment before thrusting his right hand forward. "I'm Draco Malfoy. Would you like to be my friend?"

Harry smiled, realizing the significance of Draco taking the risk of throwing himself out on the line for the second time. Apparently even the prince of Slytherin could take on a Gryffindor quality. "Harry Potter. And I would love to." He grabbed Malfoy's hand in his own, and they shook, each smiling at the strange new friendship. Some things can never be changed, but…there are also many that _can._

_

* * *

_

**A/N**: Well, I really fought with myself on whether to end it there or not. I'm on page 14…and this is the quickest I've ever written a chapter of such length. Reviews really are my inspiration. Which brings me to wonder, is this story really better than SC, or does Harry Potter just have a bigger fanbase than Kingdom Hearts? Heh, oh well.

I hope this chapter is up to the standard of chapter 1! (Ha, now I'm just afraid to disappoint.) I updated this _much _sooner than my usual standard, just for you guys! Also, I sorta feel like they were a bit…_too_ friendly. I try to make it realistic, and they've been together for the past two months, and…oh, I dunno. What do you guys think?

If you've got any suggestions or anything you'd like to see for the story, you can leave them in a review, and I might consider. I've only got a vague idea for this thing, so feel free to comment on anything! Love you all, and tata until next chapter!


	3. Getting to Know You

**Important!** **Please Read!** Ok, so I finally decided what I'm using from the books. I wanted to keep this story simple, and horcruxes make everything difficult. Therefore, there are no horcruxes. However, everything else from the 6th book still happened. As for Dumbledore, he is, unfortunately, still dead. He was put into the weakened state that got him killed by investigating a different sort of lead on Voldemort's possible weaknesses. (Harry flew in during the confrontation, and was still frozen by Dumbledore.) Yeah that's sort of half-assed, I know…but, that's not the focus of the story! ::smiles::

Alrighty, I think that about covers it…so with that basis…on to chapter 3!

* * *

**Chapter 3:** Getting to Know You

* * *

It was odd, Harry decided, to think of Draco Malfoy in association with the word 'friend.' And yet, here they were. Was it really that simple? Six years of animosity disappearing into a companionable two-month summer?

"This is weird." Malfoy suddenly said out loud from his place back in the armchair, and Harry looked up in surprise at hearing his own thoughts echoed out loud.

"What is?" the brunette asked, though he was pretty sure he knew what was on the other's mind.

"I don't know. I feel like I should be insulting you…or something."

Harry chuckled in response. "I was just thinking about that…I know we can't just _forget_ everything, but…" he suddenly paused, and then groaned, burying his face into his hands. "Ron is going to have a _fit_."

A grin spread across Draco's face at the thought. "Oh my, that _will _be fun."

Harry spread his fingers enough so that he could give the blonde an exasperated glare. "No antagonizing the friends, I'm going to have a hard enough time as it is."

"Speaking of, why haven't they written to you?" Draco asked, trying to keep his tone friendly enough so that it wouldn't come off the wrong way. It would just be bad form to shoot down their friendship so early.

Harry sighed, and turned his gaze to the fire. "I don't know. I suppose I'll just have to wait until school starts to find out." He wondered to himself if it might have something to do with the Order. At the moment though, wrapped up in warm blankets by a fire in the early hours of the morning, he couldn't much bring himself to care.

Feeling the tiredness creeping up on him, Harry let out a huge yawn, and Draco raised his eyebrows. "Sleepy?" Harry nodded slowly. "Hn, me too…and now that we know you're not going to die or anything, I suppose we should both go to sleep."

Harry started nodding again, but stopped when he realized something. "Wait…" Malfoy looked up expectantly, and Harry continued. "You still haven't told me why in Merlin's name you were stuck as a ferret in a pet shop near my house."

"Damn, you remembered," Malfoy said only half jokingly. "And here I thought I was actually going to get to sleep tonight…"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Drama Queen," he muttered, but conceded anyway. "Alright, you can tell me in the morning, but only because I'm tired too!" he added with a small smirk.

Draco smirked back. "This is going to take some getting used to, you know."

Harry chuckled. "Quite honestly…I'm not even sure I know _how_ to be your friend…" he muttered grudgingly. He didn't like how insecure that had made him sound.

There was a short pause before Malfoy responded softly, "Just be who you are right now."

Harry's gaze snapped to the blonde again. "What?"

"Honestly, Potter, there's no _trick_ or anything to being my friend." His amusement was obvious, and Harry felt a small blush stain his cheeks as he glared at the other boy. Draco decided to continue before he destroyed what comfortable atmosphere they'd maintained up to this point. "How about this, then. Tomorrow, I'll take you out – mainly because you need some new clothes – and we'll go to lunch, and we can get to know each other then. Sound good?"

Harry smiled. "Yeah…that sounds good. Tell me first, though…which of these is the real you? The Malfoy I fought with for six years, or this nice side of you I never knew existed?"

Draco tilted his head to the side in thought, blonde strands falling over deep gray eyes and creating a rather beautiful image in the firelight. "I would say…they're both me. Being at school, around the Slytherins, I have to keep my guard up. I bring out who my father raised me to be. I suppose you wouldn't know much about the laws of social survival…Gryffindors are a rather eccentrically loving lot, aren't they?"

Harry found himself laughing at that. "That's one way to put it I suppose…"

Draco's eyes sparkled with amusement. "And then there's _this_ part of me, when I can completely relax. I don't need to guard myself, because obviously you're not going to turn around and hand me over to the Dark Lord or anything."

"Oh, I don't know Malfoy…" Harry started in a teasingly serious tone. "I've been known to do some crazy things…I think I've even been in league with him before, or so the people say."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Prat," he muttered, and there was a barely noticeable affection beneath the word.

They shared a grin, and Draco stood. "See there? I think we can get along just fine. Now come on, I'll show you to a room, or, you could stay there if you wish?"

Harry changed his position to lying down, and snuggled beneath the blankets again. "I rather like it here, by the fire and all, if you don't mind."

Draco nodded. "Alright then. I'll be in the bedroom down the hall if you need me." He hesitated for one moment, then reached down and flicked Harry's ear before laughing and disappearing around the corner to Harry's indignant shout.

Harry cupped his ear and glared, but couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face after Malfoy had gone. Who knew the boy they'd always thought to have a heart of ice could have such a…quirky side? He also seemed to have gained a weird obsession with his ear since his time as a ferret. Harry just shook his head, and sighed deeply as he settled in for sleep. The scent that met his nose, he realized, was very familiar. His last thought as he drifted off into the land of dreams was, '_How did I not notice how nice he smelled before…?_'

* * *

Harry woke slowly the next morning, as his mind seemed to be refusing the simple act of leaving the warm haze it hadn't enjoyed in so long. He burrowed deeper into the blankets, then yawned and stretched his muscles, stiff from sleep. He was quite sure he'd never had a better night's sleep in his life. His eyes opened slowly, and it took a moment before everything that had happened recently came crashing back to him. When it did, he sat up quickly, the soft blanket sliding to the floor from the motion. The fire had died down to smoldering embers by now, and a small smile crept onto Harry's face as he thought of the most recent happenings of his life.

Slowly he brought his feet to the floor, taking a second to admire the plush carpeting. Whatever sickness had ailed him was completely gone by now, and he sighed in relief, as the past week had been absolutely miserable. In fact, his only saving grace had been the company of Malfoy, and he had to marvel at the irony of that one. Speaking of the boy…Harry stood up and tiptoed in the direction he had seen the Slytherin disappear to last night. It wasn't hard to find the boy's room, and the door had been left half open. He slowly peered inside, and smiled in amusement as he saw the blonde spread diagonally across his bed. He'd always imagined Malfoy to be more of a neat sleeper. He chuckled, then immediately covered his mouth and ducked out of the room. As soon as Harry's head disappeared from the doorway, Draco opened one eye and smiled, before rolling over to get a little more sleep. After all, he had stayed awake far longer than Potter had.

At the junction of the hallway, Harry stopped and looked around. He didn't want to go back to sleep, as he was quite awake now, and he didn't just want to sit and be bored. Then he spotted the kitchen a ways down, and decided to make breakfast for Malfoy. It seemed the least he could do; after all, the boy had saved him from his uncle's house when his family probably would have been happy with letting him wallow in his illness. With this thought in mind, he bounced into the kitchen, and started looking through all of the drawers and cabinets. They were very well stocked for a safe house, it seemed.

After a few minutes of debating, he decided on something sweet. "Pancakes sound good…" he mumbled out loud, and trailed off when he realized he was talking to an empty kitchen. So without further distracting himself, he grabbed the pan and bowls he would need, along with all of the ingredients, and got to work, humming to himself as he baked.

Around fifteen minutes later, he had finally moved onto the cooking part, and his song had turned from humming to singing. He was in mid-word and turned to do a little spin, but stopped halfway and yelped in surprise, sending the spatula in his hand flying backwards. Draco was leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen entrance with an amused smirk playing across his features. His hair was slightly mussed (the first time Harry had ever seen it so) and his pajamas consisted of loose silk pants, and a simple sleeveless white shirt. Harry gulped, and found himself blushing for reasons he wasn't even going to _begin_ looking into.

Draco raised an eyebrow at the spatula on the floor. "Now I know I haven't fixed myself up yet, but come on, I'm not _that_ scary in the mornings."

Not finding a good response in words, Harry stuck his tongue out. "You just surprised me. You can't just sneak up on people in the kitchen like that! What if that had been a knife? You could've been _dead!_"

Draco laughed and walked over to pick up the spatula. "Yes, _mother_. Here, you dropped this."

Harry blushed again, and grumbled under his breath as he rinsed off the utensil, then walked back over to flip the pancakes.

Draco breathed in deeply, and let out the breath in a satisfied sigh. "Mmm, pancakes. My favorite." He hoisted himself onto the island counter in the middle of the kitchen, and watched Harry as he worked, swinging his feet to some unknown beat.

There was a moment of silence as Harry put all the finished pancakes into a large plate, and pulled a bottle of syrup from the cabinet. "Is there any place you wanted to eat?"

Draco shrugged, watching Harry a little too intently for his comfort. "I don't care. Living room is more comfortable, let's eat there."

Harry nodded and took the plate into the living room, and Draco soon followed with two individual plates and silverware for the both of them. As Draco sat down, Harry put two of the pancakes onto his plate, and cleared his throat nervously. "Well, I wanted to thank you for…you know, for helping me and stuff. I didn't really know what else to do, so…um, enjoy!" He finished with a sheepish grin, and sat down to serve himself.

Draco half smiled in response. He wasn't used to people making him things…his meals had always been cooked by house elves. And he found as he took a bite, that he _much_ preferred Harry's cooking. This was made better than the things he would cook for the Dursleys. "Thanks, Potter," he said sincerely, which was unusual in and of itself; it was hard to earn a true thanks or apology from a Malfoy.

"Harry," the raven-haired boy replied seriously, with the fork halfway to his mouth.

"What?"

"Well, if we're going to be friends, I think you should call me Harry. Maybe it'll get rid of some of the weirdness, anyway."

Draco nodded, standing up as he realized neither of them had anything to drink. "Sounds fair." He then walked into the kitchen, and poured them both a glass of orange juice. When he walked back into the living room, he finished his statement. "And you shall call me Draco."

Harry raised an eyebrow at the way that was said. "Why, thank you ever so much, _your highness_," he said sarcastically, and Draco chuckled.

"Now you're getting it."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever, just hand me that orange juice."

Draco handed over the second glass, and returned to his seat, still smiling in amusement as he finished his pancakes. Something about teasing Harry as a friend was so much more _fun_.

They finished their breakfast in a silence that wasn't completely comfortable, but couldn't be called awkward, either. When they set down their forks, and neither had moved, Harry decided to bring up the topic they'd put off last night. "So…why?"

Despite the randomness of the question, Draco didn't have to ask what Harry wanted to know. He leaned back in his chair, and propped his feet up on the coffee table. "It was for my safety." He looked off to the side, and his eyes glazed over as he lost himself in the memory.

"It was after I…well, after Severus…er, when Dumbledore…shit." Draco paused to take a deep breath.

"After the events on the tower?" Harry suggested helpfully, knowing full well the pain of talking about that night.

"Yeah…that one. Well, after that, we were on the run for a bit. We eventually escaped to Severus's house." He paused, and chuckled humorlessly. "Honestly…I was expecting to die that night, or at least be subject to torture. I'm pretty sure _he_ knew I wasn't ready, but I swear that that…_thing_ gets off on torturing his followers."

"I wouldn't doubt it…" Harry muttered. He'd seen plenty of times in dreams what Voldemort did to those loyal to him.

"Yes, well, it seems Severus was aware of this too, because without warning he just turned around with his wand pointed at me, said 'This is for your own good' and turned me into a ferret! Then he picked me up and apparated to, what I realize now, was Surrey. I think he was intending for me to find you all along. I don't think his destination was the pet shop…but the other Death Eaters found us before we could hide anywhere. We were separated then, and I wandered around aimlessly for a couple of days before some muggle found me and took me to the pet shop where you found me. And then, well, you know the story from there."

Harry was silent for a while, hands clenched tightly on his legs. When he spoke, Draco could easily hear the barely restrained emotion in his words. "And what of Snape? Why-…_why_ did he do it? Why did he kill Dumbledore?" His voice broke at the end, and he buried his face in his hands.

"Harry…" Draco whispered, not quite knowing what to say. He may not have loved the old coot as Harry seemed to, but he did have a grudging respect for the man. Hesitantly, he stood and walked over to the couch, taking the seat next to Harry. He rested his elbows on his knees, contemplating the wooden surface of the table before him.

"He was sort of like family to me…like the grandfather I never had. After Sirius died…he was the only thing I had left."

"Sirius? You mean Sirius Black?" Draco asked, wondering what possible connection he had to Harry.

Harry nodded. "Yeah…he was my godfather."

"Oh…_oh_" Draco whispered. "I-I'm sorry…"

Harry shook his head, taking a deep breath and sitting back up. "Just…forget about it. Everything we've done to each other in the past…let's just forget it." He laughed a bit, looking close to tears in Draco's opinion. "It'll be far easier than trying to apologize for everything as we remember it."

A corner of Draco's lips tugged upwards in a half smile. "Alright. Forgive and forget, huh? Sounds good. But, to answer your question…Severus had no choice. He had taken an unbreakable vow with my mother, and he was to help me out in any way, and to cover where I-…where I failed. So when I wasn't able to go through with it…he was forced to take over. I think Dumbledore knew."

Harry looked up in surprise, his brow furrowed. "You think so?"

"The look in his eyes on the tower…I think he knew exactly what had to happen…it's as if- as if he had prepared for it. But you know how that man was…he always knew everything that was going on."

"Sounds like something he would do…" Harry admitted softly, still hating the fact that one of the people he admired most was gone. A warm hand fell upon his shoulder, and he looked at it in surprise before looking up into soft gray eyes.

"We'll just have to make sure his death wasn't in vain, right?" Draco asked, squeezing Harry's shoulder to show his support. After all, he was, by this point, probably pretty up there on Voldemort's wanted list as well.

A reluctant smile touched Harry's lips, before blooming into a full-blown grin. "Yeah. I- thanks, Malfoy…Draco."

Draco nodded in response, and stood up, ruffling Harry's hair before walking to his own seat, and perching on the armrest. "So I'm trying to decide…whether I should go into hiding, or just screw it and continue as I always have. Undoubtedly I'm on the Dark Lord's hit list now."

Harry raised an eyebrow at that. "I've been number one on his hit list since I was born. You don't see me hiding anywhere."

"Ah, yes, but he's got more connections to me than he does to you." His expression turned more serious as he thought it over. "I could very well put us both in more danger than necessary."

Harry grinned and stood up, crossing his arms over his chest. "Draco…I'm a Gryffindor. I _thrive_ on danger."

Draco glanced at the boy, and had to admire the pose. With the grin and the glint in his eye, well, it all looked rather dangerously heroic. He locked the image in his mind, before rolling his eyes. "And I'm a Slytherin; core values involving _not_ throwing myself into potentially harmful or deadly situations."

"Aww, don't worry, the big bad lion will protect the poor widdle snake." Harry said in a sickeningly patronizing voice.

Draco's eye twitched slightly. "Oh you did _not_ just do that," he said, and without warning jumped off the chair and leapt towards Harry.

Harry yelped, and laughed in response as he darted off.

"Come back here, ya git!" Draco yelled playfully as he rounded the corner.

"Never!" Harry shouted back from just ahead. He threw his hand back as if to ward off his chaser, and felt a pulse of magic burst forth.

Draco's eyes widened as he was caught in a sudden unseen force, and thrown backwards into the wall behind him. He grunted in pain as his head made contact with the stone, and he blinked several times as his vision swam for a second.

"Holy…shit, Draco, are you alright?" Harry turned around and ran over to the fallen blonde, immediately taking the boy's face in his hands. "I didn't mean to…I mean I had no idea…I'm sorry are you okay?" he asked again, trying to figure out exactly what had just happened.

Draco groaned and closed his eyes, leaning his head into the support of Harry's warm hands. "That…hurt, Potter."

Harry winced, as the tone sounded slightly angry. "It was an accident, I swear! I…" he stopped as a realization hit him. "It must have been that power you were talking about…"

Finally regaining his equilibrium, Draco glanced up, and Harry was glad to see that he didn't really look angry, just annoyed at being thrown into the wall. "That…was a powerful bit of wandless magic," he muttered with a raised eyebrow. He could feel a slight tingle where Harry's hands touched his skin.

"Wandless…" Harry muttered in wonderment, and gasped when he saw that even now his hands had a slight glow to them. He quickly pulled them back, and stared incredulously.

"No, wait…that felt good," Draco grumbled and he grabbed Harry's hands, placing them over his temples, holding them there with his own. Immediately he felt his headache subsiding, and in only a moment it felt as if he had never been hurt in the first place. He sighed in relief, and allowed Harry's hands to drop. "This magic…it's working by your will."

Harry blinked as he locked eyes with Draco. "By my will?" he echoed, flexing his fingers.

"Magic…isn't supposed to be visible like that. But I think, since you haven't learned to control it because it's so new, that it's sort of acting on its own. That blue was indicative of healing magic. Since you say you didn't mean to hurt me in the first place…you wanted to fix it, so you did. That…that's some pretty amazing power. Damn…I'm jealous," he finished with a slight smirk, but Harry was still staring wide-eyed at his own hands.

"A power the dark lord knows not…" he muttered to himself. "Draco…Draco this is it!" he suddenly shouted, launching himself at the surprised boy, hugging him tightly before quickly letting go in embarrassment as he realized what he was doing.

Draco blinked, half sprawled on the floor after the sudden glomp attack. "Wh-what's it?" he asked, slightly concerned about the boy's behavior. Maybe the magic was making him go crazy too?

"The power in the prophecy! This has got to be it! Voldemort doesn't know about it…hell, _I_ didn't know about it. Maybe I can do it after all!" Harry was basically talking to himself now, or to Draco it rather looked like he was talking to his own hand.

"Harry…come back to me now. I'd rather not have to cart you off to St. Mungo's you know," he said, a bit miffed at being so totally ignored. He crossed his arms, and no he did _not_ pout, thank you very much.

Harry looked up, as if just remembering the other boy was there. "Oh! Sorry, I—" He suddenly cut off, and very nearly giggled. "That's adorable."

Draco glared harder. "Am _not_. I'm menacing, now tell me what in Merlin's name you were just babbling on about, or I might decide to take you to St. Mungo's after all."

Harry smiled and held up his hands. "All right, princess, don't get your knickers in a twist. It's just that, well, there was this prophecy written about me, see? Because of it, Voldemort 'marked me as his equal' and supposedly 'neither can live while the other survives' so basically I'm supposedly the only one that can kill him, or something. But this other part said that I 'will have a power the dark lord knows not.' This has to be it!" he finished with a smile, and Draco raised his eyebrows.

"Wow, nothing really is ever normal with you, is it?"

Harry sighed, and lied back on the carpet with a somewhat rueful smile. "If only…" he muttered wistfully. "I think I'll make use of this cellar of yours, after all."

"Yes, of course, all in good time. Right now, however, we're taking you shopping, and to get that lunch I promised," Draco responded, relaxing his pose and flicking Harry's ear before he stood up and offered the boy a hand.

Harry glared playfully. "What _is _it with you and my ear?" he muttered.

Draco shrugged. "No idea. You just make funny faces when I do that." And then he was gone into his bedroom to change, while Harry stared after with a slightly disturbed expression of his own.

"You, Draco Malfoy, are very strange!" he yelled into the house.

"Takes one to know one!" Draco yelled back childishly, and Harry couldn't help it, he burst out laughing. How had he _not_ been friends with this boy before? Then he wondered whether Draco was ever like this with the other Slytherins. He honestly couldn't imagine them all sitting in their common room and being so…_playful_.

When Draco came back out, he held a couple of clothing items in his hands. "Let's see, you're shorter than me, but a bit broader despite lack of nutrition…these should do nicely. Here you go, try them on and tell me if they work."

Harry blinked as he was handed the clothes. It was nothing fancy – only a dark green t-shirt and a dark brown pair of pants. Wordlessly he went to the back room and put them on, noting that the fit actually wasn't too bad. The pants were a bit long, but fit well enough. Draco nodded in approval when he came back out. "Looks good," he said, and walked up to Harry with a wand in his hand. "Here you are; this is yours. I put your trunk with your other things in the spare bedroom." At Harry's suspicious glance, he rolled his eyes. "Don't worry Potter, it's all there and accounted for, cloak and broom included."

Harry blushed. "Sorry…old habits die hard…?"

Draco just waved it off, and walked to the fireplace. "No matter. Come on, we'll floo to Diagon Alley. We can look around there and in muggle London for clothes." He paused and took a deep breath, and Harry had to admire the fact that he was going out and facing his fear of being found by the Death Eaters. It seemed he had as much Gryffindor in him as Harry did Slytherin. Harry sniggered at the thought, and Draco turned around with a raised eyebrow. "What?" he asked, poised to throw the powder into the fireplace.

Harry shook his head, hiding his mouth behind his hand. "Nothing, are we going or what?"

Looking as if he very much didn't believe it was 'nothing', Draco turned around with a shake of his head, and tossed the floo powder into the fireplace. "Diagon Alley!" he said clearly, and disappeared in a rush of green flame.

Harry followed soon after, and landed in his usual heap on the floor, sneezing as the soot traveled to his nose. He heard laughter from above, and looked up to see he had landed at Draco's feet. "Cute, Potter."

Harry glared, and stuck out his tongue. He pulled out his wand, and was about to cast a cleaning charm, but Draco stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Wait." He dropped his voice so the patrons in the shop around them wouldn't overhear. "Your powers are all out of whack…try not to use magic unless it's absolutely necessary, alright?" And at Harry's reluctant nod, he took Harry's wand and cast the cleaning charm for him.

"Thanks," Harry muttered, pocketing his wand again, and they set off down the streets. "Um, we should probably stop by Gringotts first, right?"

"What for?" Draco asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Ah, well…I don't exactly have any money on me…"

"Oh, that. Nah, consider this to be my birthday present to you," Draco responded easily, leading them down the streets toward muggle London. "Happy birthday, Harry," he said over his shoulder with the unguarded smile Harry was really growing to adore.

Blushing ever so slightly, Harry ducked his head. "Erm…thank you," he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Hey wait," he said after a moment. "We're shopping in muggle London? I thought you hated everything to do with muggles."

"Hmm…" Draco looked thoughtful, and it took a second for Harry to realize he wasn't being serious. "Yes, well, unfortunately I've got to admit they have some interesting styles and fashions." He stopped as they reached the pub that would transfer them from magic to muggle, and Draco held the door, sweeping low in a mocking bow as Harry walked through. Harry rolled his eyes and Draco smirked in response.

The streets were crowded with families and couples and teens of all ages enjoying the last leg of their summer vacation. "Hm…let's see…aha! That one looks good. Come on, Harry."

Harry followed Draco across the street, wondering if he was going to regret agreeing to this. Draco definitely seemed the type to go on full-out shopping sprees.

He was right, too. Harry was pulled from store to store, asked to try on this and that, and every time Harry stepped from the dressing room in something new, Draco's eyes would roam over his figure to scrutinize the outfit, and much to his annoyance it was making him slightly nervous, and the smallest bit self-conscious.

It was a full three hours before they stopped for a break. They hadn't done all that much talking, really. Most words exchanged were regarding this shirt, or those pants, or that sweater, and whether Harry approved or not. But now they were standing outside with a few bags of all sorts of styles, and Draco spotted an optometrist down the street. He looked at Harry, then looked back at the optometrist, and in a sudden stroke of genius – if he did say so himself – he grabbed Harry's wrist and dragged him down the street.

"Ack, Draco, what–" He cut off and stared at the hand around his wrist. It was a gesture just so…familiar, something done so easily between old friends. Harry smiled slightly at Draco's excitement, and allowed the taller boy to drag him down the street. When they arrived, Harry raised his eyebrows. "The optometrist?"

Draco pushed open the door, and released Harry's wrist as they walked inside. "Yes, the optometrist. Face it Harry, your glasses are atrocious." He turned to look closely at Harry's face. "I think rectangular, with a silver or thin black frame would look good…"

"W-wait. Why do I need new glasses? What's wrong with the ones I've got?" Harry protested. He liked the security that these gave him.

Draco gave him a deadpan stare that said he obviously thought that was the stupidest question he'd ever been asked. "Come on, Harry, how long have you had those things?"

"Does it matter?" Harry replied. He wasn't sure why he was being so defensive; he just knew he liked his glasses as they were.

"Come on, I know a style that will go perfect with the clothes."

"I'm not a doll, Draco. Aren't the clothes enough? I don't want to get new glasses."

Draco blinked a bit at the tone. "Well, what about contacts. Because really, you've _got_ to get rid of those things."

"And the fact remains that I don't _want_ to get rid of them!"

"But Harry, they practically scream 'child'! You need something more fitting of your age."

"They do not…I think I'm just fine with these."

"But they hide your face–"

"Maybe I want them to," Harry said shortly with a glare. What was wrong with him? He knew somewhere inside that he shouldn't be getting so angry about this, but Draco wouldn't stop pushing him, and something about the familiarity of this was too easy to fall into…and now his stubborn streak was teaming with his temper to cause a much undeserved overreaction. "Maybe I don't want people staring at me all the time. I hate it when people stare and point out the _amazing_ boy-who-lived-to-save-their-asses-because-he-obviously-has-no-life-of-his-own!" He was glaring at anything and everything now, and crossed his arms over his chest.

Draco's eyes narrowed, and he drew himself up to his full height. "You know what? Fine. If you're going to be a bloody git about it…I was just looking for something to show off your eyes – they're gorgeous you know – and maybe give people a _different_ reason to look at you, hm?" He huffed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Obviously my opinion isn't wanted." And with that he spun on his heel and strode from the building, every bit of Malfoy pride in place.

Harry stared after the spot for several long moments. "Shit…what did I just do?" he muttered to himself. _What got into me…?_ Then one of the things Draco had said caught up to him. _Wait…he thinks my eyes are gorgeous?_ He felt his cheeks heat up as a blush crossed his face, and he took a step towards the door to go after Draco, but changed his mind at the last moment. He turned around, and walked up to the counter.

A young woman was standing there, with dark brown hair pulled into a low ponytail that rested over her right shoulder. She wore a kindly smile as Harry approached. "That looked like quite the argument…are you alright?"

The blush came back, but this time in slight embarrassment, and he ducked his head. "It's…a new friendship. We're working on it…I'll be fine. But now…I need new glasses."

* * *

It was a good twenty minutes later that Harry walked out with a new pair of glasses and an agreement to send the payment in later. But as he stepped out of the optometrist's building, he looked around worriedly, realizing he had _no_ idea where Draco might have gone. _Surely he wouldn't leave me here…._ Taking a deep breath, Harry shoved his hands in his pockets, where his bags had been placed after being shrunk by Draco, and started walking down the street.

His attention was completely focused on finding the bright blonde head in the crowd of people. _Please tell me I didn't just ruin a friendship before it even began…come on, Draco, where are you?_ And then he felt something brush against him, but it wasn't solid. It felt more like a warm breeze, or a form of energy or something. He had no idea what it was, and yet…it felt familiar. It also felt angry, annoyed and upset, which didn't make much sense to Harry. How could formless energy have emotions? Furrowing his brow, Harry closed his eyes, and the feeling grew stronger. He gasped as he noticed that this energy, when he closed his eyes, could be seen as a soft, silvery glow. Paying no mind to the fact that he was standing in the middle of a muggle sidewalk, he concentrated hard on the energy, noticing a sort of trail. Was this part of his new powers? He opened his eyes then, and began walking in the direction of the energy, which Harry was realizing felt more and more like a magical aura.

Only a few minutes later, Harry walked into the restaurant part of town, and finally found his target. Closing his eyes again, he realized the silver aura was indeed being emitted by Draco. The boy was sitting on the patio of a nearby Italian restaurant, drinking what looked to be a glass of wine. Harry found himself letting out a sigh of relief as he realized Draco was still here. He wasn't aware he had been so worried.

Tentatively, Harry stepped through the gate, and walked over to the table. He pulled out the seat across from Draco on the four-seat table, but the Slytherin did not look up. Harry had no idea what to say, so of course he said the first stupid thing that popped into his head. "They let you buy alcohol?" He immediately berated himself, and slumped down in his seat. Why was it so hard…?

"Of course it isn't; I'm not old enough yet. This is a non-alcoholic drink."

"Oh…"

There was a long silence after that, where a waitress came by and Harry ordered a glass of tea.

When he had his drink, Harry took a deep breath, and placed his arms on the table. "Look, Draco, I'm sorry. I-I don't know why I - people always say I've got a horrible temper, I didn't really mean–" He cut off with an audible snap of his jaw as Draco looked up then, and he lost the rest of his sentence at the expression in those grey eyes. He'd never seen so much emotion displayed in the normally cold depths. But most striking was the disappointment. "Does…does this mean that much to you?" Harry whispered, genuinely amazed. Surely Draco didn't value his friendship that much already?

Draco averted his eyes, angry with himself more than anything. "Apparently it _does_," he muttered bitterly, his grasp tightening on the glass in his hand. "I guess that hopeful eleven-year old boy never really left me alone."

Suddenly Harry found it hard to swallow, and hesitantly, he stood up and moved to the seat next to Draco. There was a moment as Harry gathered his thoughts before he took a deep breath and spoke.

"All my life…I've either been considered a freak, or been given expectations I've never felt I can live up to. I've been targeted by a homicidal madman since age eleven, and I've never had a _normal_ year at school. My life is…a constant chaotic mess, and I think because of that, I cling to normalcy and familiarity more than anything. My glasses were familiar, so they were comforting. Fighting with you was familiar…so it was easy." He fiddled awkwardly with his hands in his lap.

Draco's expression turned thoughtful, and he met Harry's bright green gaze with his own cool grey.

Harry swallowed nervously. "After six years of animosity…I guess it's just hard to change, you know? When I see you it's like, an instinctual thing or something."

Draco smiled a bit reluctantly at that. "Potter…shut up, you're babbling." He took a sip of his drink, and stared thoughtfully at the muggles walking down the streets. "Maybe you were right to refuse me then. Maybe we really weren't meant to be friends. The son of a Death Eater…the savior of the world…"

"No. Don't- don't call me that, I hate it. And you…you're more than just a Death Eater's son. You've shown that to me just in the last few days. Besides, that was just our first fight as friends, right? It's not like we've never fought before…and we've gotten over that. And, really, that was hardly a fight by usual standards…more like me being an arse…" He sighed heavily, and grinned crookedly at Draco. "Come on…call me an idiotic emotional Gryffindor…You know you want to."

Draco couldn't help the small laugh that escaped at that. "Dumb Gryffindor…" he muttered. "Quite the sentimental speech there…did you practice it?

Harry smiled and shoved his shoulder lightly. "Prat," he responded, but the tone was affectionate.

Draco rested his chin in his right hand, playing with his fork in the left. "You really want to be my friend then?"

Harry blinked a bit in surprise. Hadn't they already established that? Then he realized what Draco was doing; he was giving him the chance to back out. He was apparently afraid that one argument was going to push them apart. Harry shook his head at that. "I didn't know you were so insecure, Draco."

Draco lifted a glare from the table. "Shut up…" he grumbled, and Harry gave him an almost impish grin and poked Draco's nose, because really the boy reminded him of a pouting child. It was the only time Harry would associate the word 'cute' with Malfoy.

"_Yes_, I still want to be your friend. But you know this will never work if we run away after every argument. I have spats with Ron and Hermione all the time, but we're still friends. Because we started off with arguments, that should make them easier to get over, right?"

"I wasn't running away," Draco said haughtily. "I could've just left you here, you know."

Harry smiled at that. "And thanks for not doing so. Now…how 'bout that lunch, hm?" he asked and called the waitress back.

Draco nodded, and quickly, almost as if he were afraid to say it, he said, "They do look good, you know." He indicated the glasses that were between oval and rectangle, with a thin silver frame. Harry just smiled.

Lunch was filled with much more amiable conversation. They talked about trivial things, like favorite foods, and animals, and colors. They talked about their classes and professors. They joked and laughed, and both were feeling much better when they had finished their meal.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Draco said suddenly as they were leaving the restaurant. "I need to go see Severus."

Immediately Harry groaned, to which Draco laughed. "It's only for a moment, Potter. I've got to get my wand back. He kept it after he turned me into a ferret."

"But…isn't he in hiding or something?" Harry asked as they made their way back towards Diagon alley.

"No…he went back to the Dark Lord so he could ensure the safety of my mother. He should be at his home. I'll apparate us near the manor; that way we can check to see if he's alone. I'd rather not run into the Dark Lord…or my father if we can avoid it." They were walking quicker now, and Harry realized it was because Draco was nervous.

Harry reached out and placed his hand on Draco's arm. Draco looked surprised, and stared down at Harry curiously. Harry smiled back, and said, "It'll be fine, don't worry."

There was something about Harry's smile that just seemed so…_confident_ that Draco calmed, and he slowed his pace as they walked towards a hill in the less-crowded part of Diagon Alley to apparate. He turned his thoughts to getting his wand back, and smiled at the fact that he'd finally be able to use magic freely again. Then maybe later he and Potter could have a little duel…for old time's sake perhaps, or just to release some tension.

When they finally reached a suitable spot, Draco nodded to Harry, and felt the grip on his arm tighten just a bit. He concentrated on the forest area near Severus's manor, and apparated them both from the busy city streets of London.

* * *

Bah, I'm usually my own beta, but I find more and more as the chapters get longer, I don't want to go back and read them as much. (Usually I just go back and reread the sections as I am forced to type them separately because of interruptions.) So yeah…I might go back and read this later, but for now I really just want to get it posted. So I guess let me know of any mistakes or whatever.

I could have gone on longer…but, geh, 16 pages. It's weird how easy it is to make these chapters so long! And on that note, thank you so much for all of the reviews! Cookies for everybody!

Oh yeah, and I hope that argument didn't seem too…off-the-wall or anything. I tried to make it realistic. I'm having fun with the boys' relationship, but it's just so hard to be consistent. So as usual, tell me what you thought, and see you next chapter!


	4. Introspection

A/N: Huh, for once I have nothing to put here…

Warnings: A plot somewhat develops! Gasp! Ha, yeah, on to the story with you!

* * *

**Chapter 4: **Introspection

* * *

Harry and Draco landed amongst a cluster of trees somewhere around fifty feet from Snape's house. Harry, after recovering from the apparation, whistled slightly in appreciation. "Nice place…" he muttered, observing Snape's larger-than-normal manor.

Draco smirked slightly. "Not as nice as mine. Come on." He began walking cautiously towards the house, and Harry rolled his eyes at the ever-present Malfoy arrogance.

"You really think someone would be here?" Harry asked, following close behind Draco.

The Slytherin shrugged in response. "It's very likely. Father's and Severus's houses are two common gathering places."

"Bet that sucked."

Draco looked sideways with a brow raised. "What do you mean?"

"Constantly having Death Eaters in your house, dropping by whenever, and Voldemort too. I don't know, just doesn't seem like pleasant company, really," Harry responded, shuddering inwardly.

"Hey now, I was part of that company, you know."

"Proud of that are you?" Harry asked, to which he received a shove in the shoulder. He chuckled, and continued on. "But you're not malicious like the rest of them. I've seen what goes on in those meetings. You may be mean, but…you're not one of them."

Draco stopped walking, and looked at Harry contemplatively, his head tilted slightly to the side. "You always look for the good in a person, don't you?" He finally asked.

Harry was a bit taken aback by the question, and had to avert his eyes at the look he found in Draco's. He ran a hand through his hair, and smiled slightly. "I guess I try…I'm not perfect though. I can judge as easily as anyone else, you know that."

Draco smiled slyly. "Well sorry to break it to you, but not even Saint Potter can be perfect."

"Yeah, now if only the rest of the world could realize that…" Harry muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You…really don't like the fame?" Draco asked, but it sounded like he already knew the answer.

Harry shook his head. "The fame, the expectations, all I've ever wanted was a normal life, you know."

"And all those years…I hated you because of it. I figured you thrived on the attention of your fans, and it made me so _mad_ that it couldn't be me…how ironic that you wished as much as I to be rid of it." Draco shoved his hands in his pockets and turned his gaze to the sky. "I guess we're alike in that way…both of our lives guided by fates we really didn't have any control over."

Harry smiled as he watched Draco's profile. The boy looked so peaceful, standing there like that, and he was still finding it hard to believe this was his archrival of six years. "Maybe…" he started slowly, "But you've changed yours. By not killing Dumbledore that night, you chose for yourself a different path. That was really brave, you know."

Draco looked down in surprise, and Harry's eyes were sparkling with his smile. He looked…_proud_. "It wasn't brave…I was too cowardly to kill him. It was a failure."

Immediately Harry shook his head. "No, you didn't do it even knowing the wrath you would face from Voldemort for not completing the task. You spared a great man, despite the risks. That, Draco, is courage in its greatest form."

Draco swallowed and looked away, not quite able to take the – dare he say – _affectionate_ expression in Harry's eyes. "Stop being such a sap, Harry," he grumbled, and started walking forwards again.

Harry laughed in response, walking after the blonde. Draco would never say it, but he could tell at least a part of him had wanted to hear those words; a sort of confirmation that he had done the right thing, because now that Harry was getting to know him, he realized Draco was as normal as any other boy, and did in fact have emotions, and insecurities to deal with. He was pulled out of his musings abruptly when Draco spoke. "I don't really sense anything out of the ordinary…"

Suddenly Harry stopped. "Oh, oh, let me try!"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Try what?"

"This new power thing I've discovered," he answered somewhat proudly. "When I was trying to look for you earlier, I was somehow able to see your magical aura. I want to see if I can do that again."

Draco's other eyebrow joined the first. "I was wondering how you found me so quickly…" he said, but stepped back as Harry moved in front of him.

Harry closed his eyes, and concentrated on the house, not quite sure if there was any special way to make this thing work. Eventually, he felt the magic spreading from him, searching for other signatures. It crept through the house, searching each room. "I can only find one person," he said aloud. He opened his eyes, and blinked several times to adjust back to the real world. Then he smirked. "Wicked cool…"

Draco looked on in amusement; watching Harry was like watching a child with their first toy wand. "Yes, very cool. Now come on wonder boy, the sooner we get my wand back, the sooner we can find out the rest of these new powers of yours."

Harry glared at Draco for the 'wonder boy' comment, but otherwise said nothing as he followed him to the door. Draco knocked, and an immediate 'thud' came from inside. The boys exchanged curious glances before Snape opened the door a crack, and opened it wider as he realized who it was.

The first expression that crossed Snape's face was relieved, but then it immediately changed to anger as he remembered there was a reason he wasn't supposed to be seeing them. "Draco? What are you doing here? " he hissed, and grabbed the boy by the arm to drag him inside. He didn't close the door, so Harry followed in a bit awkwardly. Snape did a double take of him, and Harry could swear he saw the man's eye twitch. "And you brought _Potter_?" He looked livid, and Harry stepped so that he was just slightly behind Draco, for once glad that the other boy was basically teacher's pet to the Potions Master.

Draco paused for only a moment to give him a slightly amused side-glance, before he turned back to their professor. He set his face into a purposeful pout, and said "Awe, but Severus, didn't you miss me?"

Snape stopped for a moment, and brought his hand up to rub the bridge of his nose. "Insufferable…" he muttered, before bringing his hand down and glaring at them with coal-black eyes. "Do you not _think_? Has his…_Gryffindorness_ rubbed off on you already? You are both in danger just by being here!" He was mostly talking to Draco, which was just fine with Harry. He didn't even want to be here in the first place. He decided to let the pseudo-insult pass as well; he found he liked it more when the man ignored him.

"Hey!" Draco said in an insulted voice. "I'm as Slytherin as I always have been. Besides, we did apparate near here to make sure you were alone, we could have just used the floo network, you know. And…I want my wand back."

Snape sighed, and walked to a back room, before returning with a wand in hand. "Lucky for you I was able to keep it from the Dark Lord. Had he had his way, I'm sure it would be snapped in two by now."

Draco cringed at the thought, and gratefully took his wand, running his hand lovingly over the wood before pocketing it. "Thank you."

"Yes, yes, now get out. Both of you." He paused for a second then seemed to change his mind. "Wait a moment. Draco."

"Yes?" Draco asked, stopping his movement of turning around.

"Are you planning to go back to school?"

The question caught Draco off-guard. School? He hadn't really given it much thought. "I assumed I would go back as always…why, should I not?" he asked, furrowing his brow a bit in confusion.

Snape sighed, and shook his head. "You do realize, that if you go back, you will not be so easily accepted by your house."

Draco's eyes widened. The thought hadn't even occurred to him; he had always been leader of Slytherin, it's just the way things were. Snape continued before he could verbally respond. "I'm sure you could stay a Slytherin, but they will be wary of you. You know as well as I do that many will follow in the paths of their parents, and that many _want_ to. For you to have failed Voldemort's orders, and not taken your punishment, will be seen as offensive to them. You might want to start thinking about what you want to do."

Then he turned to Harry, and Harry was slightly surprised to see something besides complete hatred in the obsidian eyes. Dislike, yes, but there was also a sort of grudging neutrality there as well. "And you, as much as I hate to admit, may be the best one to help him. The question is…will you?"

As much as Harry hated the man, he had to admire the care he showed for Draco, and he wondered at just how far back the two went, or how close they were. He looked to Draco, and saw curiosity in the grey eyes. He turned back to Snape, and lifted his chin a bit in defiance. "I always help those who come to me for it. But I protect my friends without the need to be told."

Both of Snape's eyebrows rose, and Harry was pretty sure this was the first time he had ever seen the man look completely surprised. "Friends?" he asked, and looked to Draco for an explanation.

Draco shrugged, and one corner of his mouth lifted into a smile.

Snape shook his head, deciding it wasn't worth the headache to ask why or how. Yes he had taken Draco to Surrey with the intention of protection for the boy, but he hadn't expected the two boys to become such fast friends. Then again, Draco always did have a strange soft spot for Potter… "Yes, well, see to it that both of you stay safe. And Potter…learn that new power of yours well, you'll need it."

Shock momentarily crossed Harry's features before he furrowed his brow in confusion. "How did you know about that?"

Snape dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "I can feel it. Your magical presence is a lot stronger than before. All I can say is train hard. With both of you as top targets of the Dark Lord's, you'll want as much protection as you can get." He paused for a moment before he looked both of them in the eye, and said, "Good luck boys." Then he clasped his hands behind his back and turned around, robes billowing in an elegant circle. "Now then, leave here before you put yourselves at any more risk."

Draco nodded, and grabbed Harry's wrist, throwing a quick 'Thank you, Severus!' over his shoulder before dragging the Gryffindor outside. Once they were a good distance away, Draco released Harry's arm, and Harry found himself wondering at the disappointment at the lost of contact. Then he shook his head, and his attention was diverted as Draco spoke. "Well, that went well, I think."

"Yeah, as well as anything can ever go with that man…" he muttered.

Draco chuckled in response. "You get used to it after a while. I've known Severus for as long as I can remember; a friend of the family. He's always been a grouch."

"Now why does that not surprise me?" Harry replied dryly.

Draco just shook his head, and grabbed Harry's arm. "Ready?" At Harry's nod, he took them both back to the safe house of no specific location.

When they arrived, Draco pulled out his wand, and tossed it into the air before catching it again and twirling it with his fingers. "Man it feels good to have this thing back. You never realize how much your wand becomes a part of you until it's gone." He then looked up at Harry, who seemed to be watching him with interest, and his lips quirked into a smirk Harry was very familiar with. "So what do you say to a duel?"

Harry opened his mouth to agree, but then his thoughts were pulled back to their chase earlier in the hallway, and he glanced back to the spot Draco had hit the wall. "I don't think that's such a good idea. Right now I just want to test out this magic." He turned back to Draco, who almost looked disappointed, and hit him lightly in the stomach with the back of his hand. "After that though, I'll be glad to duel you. Just don't be too upset when you lose."

Draco glared for the hit, and flicked Harry's ear in retaliation, laughing when his hand was batted away. He really did love the faces Harry made at that. "Whatever. We both know who the better wizard here is," he said with his nose in the air. "Now come on, you, follow me."

Harry rolled his eyes, and followed Draco down a set of covered stairs, and into a large, stone room. There wasn't much in the room, only a couple of worn wooden chairs in the far corner, and some shelves lining the wall on the right, holding a few antique items. "This place was built by muggles, you know," Draco said conversationally as he glanced around the room once. "This particular room was built as a bomb shelter or something, I believe."

"So that would explain the décor…" Harry muttered, scrunching up his nose at the dust. He pulled out his wand, and stared down at it for a moment. He could practically feel the magic as it ran through his body and into the wood. "Well I suppose I should start with a simple spell." He said aloud, though it was mostly to himself.

"Yes, that would probably be a good idea," Draco answered, sitting down cross-legged against the wall on the left. "Why not try summoning something from the shelf?" He offered. Summoning was a fourth year spell, but it had become easy for them by now, so shouldn't cause a problem.

"Sounds good," Harry agreed, and lifted his wand. He pointed it at one of the objects – an old book, by the looks of it – and said clearly, "_Accio_ book!"

The book twitched for a second, before lifting off the shelf, and flying at Harry way faster than he would be able to catch. "Holy Shit!" he cried as he dodged to the side, and the book flew past him, and actually lodged into the wooden door with a resounding '_Crack._' Harry sat on the floor with wide eyes, his glasses crooked and his wand laying a few feet away from him.

After a small silence, Draco burst out laughing, holding his side as his eyes watered with tears of mirth. "Oh _Merlin_, Harry, that- that was _brilliant_!" He collapsed into more giggles, and as Harry slowly got over his shock of the near death-by-book experience, he joined in the laughter as well.

It took a few minutes for both boys to recover enough to breathe properly. Draco looked up, his cheeks tinged pink, and his eyes shining with amusement, and Harry wondered at the jolt that flew through him at the sight. It was something he had felt before…but never with Malfoy…never with another boy in fact.

"…Harry?" Draco questioned, wondering at the blank stare that had crossed the other boy's features.

Harry quickly shook his head, but the image of Draco looking so – _beautifully_ – happy remained in his mind. "Sorry." He looked back at the book, watching as a couple of pages fell from the suspended tome. "Okay, I'm not summoning _anything_ that isn't soft and fluffy until I get control of this magic."

Draco laughed again, and Harry found himself wanting to make Draco laugh more. He shook his head once to get rid of these thoughts, – where were they coming from, anyway? – because of course he wouldn't be feeling _that_ way about Draco. Honestly, the idea was just absurd!

"Maybe you should try without the wand?" Harry was abruptly pulled from his own confusing thoughts at Draco's suggestion. He furrowed his brow in response.

"But I can't do wandless magic."

"Well maybe not before, but you controlled it without a wand earlier. And you used it without meaning to when you threw me into the _wall_. The wand is simply a tool; it draws your magic, and basically acts as a conductor. Lightning will travel through air just fine, but send it through metal or water and its speed and effect increase greatly. The same concept applies here," Draco said, walking over and picking up Harry's wand from the floor. "Just try it and see. This time though, try a wingardium leviosa instead of the summoning charm."

Harry stared at his hand thoughtfully, then nodded. "Alright." He stood up as well, and Draco backed up a few steps. He flicked his hand toward one of the chairs in the corner, and said the spell. Immediately, the chair shot up to the ceiling, and Harry winced as the sound of splintering wood echoed throughout the room, reverberating off the stone walls.

Draco raised an eyebrow and whistled. "Now I really _am_ jealous." He looked thoughtful for a moment, before turning to Harry and giving his wand back. "Wait here a moment, I'll be back shortly." And without another word he apparated on the spot, leaving Harry to blink at the place he had just been.

"Random…" Harry mumbled aloud to the empty room. He was fast discovering that there was far more to Draco than met the eye. He smiled in amusement at the thought of the blonde's recent actions, and sat on the floor, legs outstretched and crossed in front of him while he leaned back on his hands. He never would have thought Draco would be so…_quirky_. He sighed and lied back, stretching his hand into the air in front of him. He snapped his fingers, and was surprised into laughter as a shower of colorful sparks fell from them.

After the amusement passed, his thoughts turned back to Draco. There was something…weird, for lack of better word, about this friendship. And he had a feeling it wasn't because it was spawned from rivalry. It felt different than any other friendship he had formed. He felt, well, it felt like a _pull_. He thought to his reaction when the Slytherin had caught him making breakfast that morning; he had found him – heaven forbid – _attractive._ He stopped the thought and furrowed his brow. That couldn't be right. Cho was attractive…not _Malfoy_. And yet, when he thought of the two, he realized there wasn't even a contest in his mind. But…this couldn't be happening! There was no way he could be attracted to Draco. He had spent the summer with him when the guy was a _ferret_, and now had spent just over a day in a mutual friendship with him. That was not possibly enough time to…to what? They had already agreed to forgive each other, and there was obviously more to both of them than they knew. They were getting along amazingly well, considering their pasts, and all of Hogwarts would say that Malfoy _does_ have devilishly good looks. So was it so inconceivable?

"Except that I'm not gay…" He said to himself, but it sounded weak to his own ears. Was it possible that he was? He had never looked at another boy, really, but he'd never had a successful relationship with a girl either. Harry groaned and covered his face with his hand. "This can't be happening."

Harry was saved from further self introspection (or torment if you were to ask him) by a 'pop' indicating Draco's arrival. The dark haired teen turned his head and quirked an eyebrow. "Do you make it a habit of disappearing without explanations, or am I just special?"

Draco smirked. "Oh no, that's just for you."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, look what I discovered." He lifted his hand into the air, and snapped his fingers, grinning when the sparks appeared again.

Draco looked like he was trying very hard to hold in laughter. "Cute. Worked hard on that one, did you?"

Harry shot a glare in the other boy's direction in response. "Oh ha, ha." Then his eyes fell to the stack of books in Draco's arms. "Hey, what are those?" he asked, banter forgotten in the interest of something new.

Walking over so that he was only a few feet from Harry, Draco dropped the books near the boy's head, causing Harry to yelp and jump into a sitting position. There were five books in the stack, and they'd been loud against the stone floor. Draco sat down as if he had done nothing unusual, ignored Harry's glare, and said "They're for you. Two of them are about inner focus, and controlling your magical core. Two more are about defensive and offensive spells, and the last is about using and controlling wandless magic to bring out its full potential."

Harry blinked, and smiled at the thoughtful gesture. "Wow, thanks. But…where did you go?"

Draco looked up and winked at Harry. "It's a secret." He then turned to the books and grabbed the one from the top. It was one of the two on controlling one's innate magic, and he flipped it open to the introduction. "Now I know you hate to study, so I thought we might go through these together." At Harry's astonished look, he fidgeted slightly. "What?" He asked, a bit of veiled anxiousness to the tone.

Harry smiled and shook his head. "Just wondering how long before you cease to amaze me." He couldn't believe Draco knew his studying habits. And the fact that he had offered to do this with him; to sit down and help him, well, he was taking to this new side of Draco more and more with every moment.

A light blush tinted Draco's cheeks, and he turned his head to the side, clearing his throat. He quickly regained his composure, and looked back with his chin tilted in a show of pride. "Well that's an easy one. Never. I'm just that good." He winked again, and turned back to the book. "Besides, I'd rather like to learn this as well. I may not be as powerful as you," and Harry couldn't help but notice the slightly put-out tone in that, "but I could still gain a lot by learning control of my own innate magic. Now then, let's get started, shall we?"

Harry nodded, and leaned forward eagerly as they began the self-taught lessons.

The two boys easily found a routine after that day. Every day, Harry made breakfast, and they would sit and chat for a while. Then they would go into the room to train themselves. They picked up a meditation schedule from one of the books; it said this was the best way to get in touch with one's magic. They would sit for, usually, at least an hour, and Harry felt that it was during these times they connected the most. He could see both of their auras when he closed his eyes, and saw how they flowed easily around one another, sometimes sparking at contact, sometimes combining, and others just swirling around in some strange, unknown dance that could keep Harry fascinated for hours.

The book had a chapter dedicated to auras. Harry read it with avid interest, but wouldn't tell Draco why that one chapter fascinated him so much. He didn't want to mention that the interaction of their auras implied a passion between them that magic could sense when the being could not. Indeed, the sparks told of passion, the combing told of compatibility, and the twirling dances told of exotic desires. He had flushed at that, and immediately snapped the book shut, much to both the amusement and curiosity of Draco.

"What did that book do to you?" He asked only half jokingly.

Harry had just shaken his head and offered that they practice wandless spells. His mind did not leave that book though, and Draco had called the practice quits when Harry was so distracted that he nearly hit Draco with a misguided spell.

That night, Harry lied awake in bed – he had taken to sleeping in the spare bedroom after all – with his arms crossed behind his head, and eyes fixed on the ceiling. It had been three weeks so far, and they had only about another week before school would start up again. Since that one fight – if one could even call it so; he looked back on it now and mused that it had almost sounded more like a lover's spat – there had been no instances of real animosity. Perhaps it was because they were able to get all of their anger out through duels and practice every day, but he really didn't feel like that was it. After a lot of thinking over the weeks, he couldn't deny it: he definitely felt something for Malfoy. As much as he tried to deny it to himself, and place it as something else, it always came back to the same thing.

Idly, Harry wondered if it was just destiny. If they just had some weird chemistry that caused them to be part of the other's life no matter what. But then again, maybe it wasn't. Draco had shown no sign of feeling anything towards _him_, after all. But he hadn't exactly been looking, either. To this point, he had been far too focused on his own thoughts, and trying to figure out what he was feeling, to be paying that much attention to Draco's actions. Sighing heavily, Harry turned onto his side, bringing one arm forward and grabbing the extra pillow, dragging it to his body to press against his chest. Was it wrong to wish the pillow was Draco?

Harry groaned and buried his face into the pillow. '_Lovely. Let's see you pull yourself out of _this one_, wonder boy'_ he thought bitterly to himself, using Draco's random nickname simply to spite himself. Then he wondered if he should be worrying that he was spiting himself in the first place. "Argh!" Harry suddenly cried in frustration, tugging at his hair. His mind was running in circles and there was no way he was going to get to sleep with this many thoughts going through his head. He threw the covers aside and slid off the bed, padding into the kitchen to get something to drink. He stopped in the doorway in surprise, however, when he noticed he wasn't the only one awake.

Draco was sitting at the kitchen table, in the dark, with his head in his hands. A single piece of parchment sat on the table in front of him. Hesitantly, Harry stepped into the kitchen, and towards the table. "Draco…?" He called softly, not at all liking the posture of the other boy. It was one he had taken a few times himself in personal anguish.

Draco jumped at the sound, and looked up sharply. His grey eyes were bright in the moonlight streaming in through the windows, and Harry felt a stab through his heart as Draco looked at him with such a helpless expression. Now he definitely couldn't deny any of the feelings there; otherwise he wouldn't be near this affected. The blonde swallowed, and wordlessly pushed the piece of paper sitting in front of him towards Harry.

With a curious glance at Draco, Harry picked up the letter, and read the neatly written scrawl.

_Draco,_

_Do not think you have been forgotten. I am very disappointed in you, as are Severus and the Dark Lord. Perhaps you were not ready to kill yet, but that does not excuse the weakness of running away from your punishment. _

_Perhaps your mother should pay for such transgressions? How sweet, that she offered to sacrifice herself for your safety. No, she is not dead, but the Dark Lord is unpredictable, as you know. _

_You will return to me, and take your proper place under our master. Perhaps he will forgive you. I will await your return to the manor. If you do not come back, then you may consider yourself no longer a Malfoy. _

_Good Day,_

_Lucius Malfoy_

Harry gaped at the letter for a long moment, feeling rage boiling just below his skin. He heard a plate shatter somewhere off to his right, and it took all his willpower to restrain his magic. How could one man be so…so…well, the man was simply a bastard! His attention was drawn away as a small, choked noise came from his left.

"What am I going to do, Harry?" Draco whispered brokenly, head again buried in his hands.

It was painful…to watch such a proud boy break down. Slowly, Harry crossed the rest of the distance between them, and gently wrapped his arms around Draco's shaking shoulders. The effect was instantaneous, and Draco reached out, wrapping his own arms tightly around Harry's middle as he lost control of the dam holding back his tears. Harry tightened his grip, and decided to take them to a place more comfortable than the kitchen table. He hauled Draco to his feet, and guided the taller boy to the couch in the living room. He set them both down, and engulfed Draco in a hug once more, allowing the boy to bury his face in his neck.

With a quick wave of Harry's hand, a fire was lit in the fireplace, and he whispered nonsensical things in Draco's ear, hoping the tone at least would sooth him. He realized that letter must have made real for Draco what had seemed so far away before. They were almost lying down at this point, with Harry resting against the armrest, and Draco sprawled on top of him. Draco didn't cry for too long, as he had been raised not to break down like that. Ever. But even after the sobs died, tears still streamed down his cheeks, and neither boy was sure how long they sat there in the dark of the midnight hours.

Draco rested his head on Harry's chest, and allowed the steady beat of his heart to lull him into a more peaceful state. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, tightening his grip around Harry's torso. In response, Harry ran his hand through Draco's hair, playing with the silky strands. Draco sighed in approval. Contrary to popular belief, he loved people playing with his hair; he was just extremely picky about who did it.

Harry smiled sadly as Draco closed his eyes, and he laid a kiss on the crown of the blond head. He hadn't really meant to do it, and wondered about the response when he felt one of Draco's hands clench on the back of his shirt.

Finally, after Draco had calmed down enough to speak, he said in a voice barely above a whisper, "Damned if I do, and damned if I don't."

"Hm?" Harry tilted his head to look Draco in the eye.

"It's hopeless. If I go back…" He stopped and shuddered, and Harry tightened his grip on the taller boy's shoulders, tracing random patterns on his back with the hand that wasn't carding through his hair. Draco relaxed a little, and continued. "But if I don't go back, I'm afraid for mother. What if they decide to kill her? It would be all my fault! I- I should go back, I should –"

"Draco," Harry said suddenly, sharply, and in that one word Draco was able to hear the hero that everyone admired, even if Harry himself was unconscious of it. It had the effect Harry desired, as the blonde immediately snapped his mouth shut, and looked up in curiosity. "It's no use working yourself up like that. Trust me, I've done it enough times. And, if I can help it, you _won't_ be the cause of a death." He stopped for a moment, staring into the dying fire as he remembered Cedric and Sirius. His eyes narrowed, and glittered dangerously in the dim light. "No, this all has to stop. I'm sick and tired of that madman running loose. I've gotten stronger…we both have. With this new power, I think I might stand a chance. This ends _soon._"

Draco wasn't quite sure whether Harry was even talking to him anymore, so he just stayed still and listened. The Gryffindor's tone took on that dangerous quality he had heard used with Dudley. Apparently it was a tone of voice reserved for those Harry hated most, and Draco was suddenly glad to be on this side of Harry's affections. He'd never felt as safe as he did now, curled up on the couch in Harry's embrace. "You think you can pull it off?" he asked quietly, not wanting to be a downer, but trying to be realistic in any case.

Harry's gaze turned to him then, and Draco shivered despite himself at the intensity in the deep green orbs. Harry's glasses had been left in the bedroom, and so his stare was completely unguarded. "I _will_ pull it off…there's no thinking to it. I'm sure Snape will find a way to keep your mother safe until we can get to her." He paused then, and seemed to be thinking something over in his mind. It wasn't often that Draco saw the boy so serious, and it was strange to see this teen his own age thinking about a war he should have no part in. The Harry in this moment was the one pulled into life-or-death situations since age eleven, the child that grew up without a loving family, or a proper childhood. This Harry was the one the world had shaped into their idol.

"I don't think you should appear back at the school." Draco might have thought he was joking if it wasn't for the completely serious expression as they locked gazes.

Lifting his head from Harry's chest, he stared somewhat incredulously. "You mean I should just _skip_ the last year of my education?" His voice held the slightest bit of venom. Was Harry trying to hold him back suddenly?

Harry's eyes widened marginally, then he let out a slight laugh. "Oh, oh no. You should definitely go back. I just…of course you know what an animagus is."

The sudden change of subject threw Draco off his building anger. "Of course I know what an animagus is, Potter," he retorted, wondering if he had been wrong about the hero thing. Maybe the world was just putting their faith in a boy off his rocker.

"Do you know your animagus form?" Harry asked.

Draco furrowed his brow. "No, I don't. Where are you going with this?"

"Well, why don't you go with me, just in animagus form? I could talk with the teachers from your classes that I don't have, and then you could come with me to the rest, and then I could turn in your work for you. I know you're smart enough to be able to do the work, and that way your father would have no idea where you are!"

There was a long silence after that, as Draco contemplated the idea. He would be kept away from Lucius and the Dark Lord, and at the same time wouldn't have to worry about his father coming to Hogwarts to take him away. "Amazingly, that's not a half-bad idea," Draco finally answered.

Harry smiled in response. "I'll ignore the insult in that for now," he said, and gave a light tug to a strand of Draco's hair.

Draco ducked his head away and smiled back. It fell, though, as he thought about the first part of that plan. "But, how will I go in animagus form…if I don't even know what my form is? I thought it was hard to do, anyway."

Harry made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat, and lowered himself so that the armrest was now his pillow. Wrapping his arms around Draco's waist, he replied, "We'll work on that tomorrow, or, I guess it would be later today by this point. But for now, let's just go back to sleep, I'm really tired…" and to prove his point, he yawned widely.

Draco stared at Harry for a few moments, his cheeks glowing the lightest of red at the new sleeping arrangement. "I…thanks." And then he laid his head down on Harry's shoulder, making himself comfortable as he let Harry's heartbeat lull him to sleep.

Harry smiled. "You're welcome, Draco," he whispered into the darkness. There was definitely no pulling away from these feelings now. The last thought to cross Harry's mind before he drifted off to sleep under the warmth of Draco's body was, '_Could I possibly be falling for him…?_'

* * *

**Poll!** Alright, I'm going to take a poll here, since I love you guys so much. .::smiles::. What do you want Draco's animagus form to be? I sort of had a fox in mind, cuz it's all cute and cuddly, but I'm open to plenty of things. Though, I was thinking something sort of small, so it could possibly fit into his bed in the dorms, hehe.

So it's funny, because that scene where Harry walked in on Draco…my first idea was for Harry to have a nightmare. But then that's done more often, and then, even with the nightmare thought in mind, this just sort of spewed forth from my fingers, and it ended up working out much better, as it finally got me to where I wanted in the story!

And alas, there is a plot! Haha, wasn't sure if there would be anything or not. As I was writing this, I surprised myself, because the first time I looked down at the corner of my screen, I was at seven pages. Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Reviews are loved!


	5. Chapter of no Real Significance

A/N: Well, the poll hardly made things easier. Ferret was suggested the most (which of course would make sense with the title of the story…) but there was also a good argument against it –the fact that Draco has had two very bad experiences as a ferret. And besides that is my own reluctance about it, a ferret might be too obvious. Yes it would be fun to see him pout about it, but I'm thinking about the sake of the story.

White or silver and fluffy were emphasized, which I already planned. The other three big candidates were silver fox, tiger/cat, or wolf. (And cubs suggested for both of the last ones).

Frankly, I see Harry more as the wolf than Draco, something about the personality. Personally I love Draco as a tiger, but not for this fic. Someone mentioned that fox would indeed fit with his 'quirky personality' that I've sort of given him, and is also still my favorite. (Yeah I know…sort of back to my own idea, but, that is my power as an author, bwahahah!) ::coughs:: Aaaannyway, on to the story now.

* * *

**Chapter 5: **The Chapter of no Real Significance (Seriously…page 13 and I just now realize that basically _nothing_ happens in this chapter. .::cries::.

* * *

The next day, Draco seemed very distanced for some reason, as if they had gone back to square one, and Harry couldn't for the life of him figure out why. When he had woken up, Draco was gone, and the same soft blanket from his first night at this house had been draped over him. He walked into the kitchen to find a bagel sitting out for him, but no Draco.

Slightly miffed, and mostly confused, Harry ate the bagel before getting up to search the house. When the search turned out fruitless, he decided to check their training room. What he found when he opened the door was definitely a surprise.

Draco must have conjured a punching bag, for one hung from the far left corner of the room, and the boy himself was now standing, shirtless, beating the object mercilessly. It seems he had been at it for a while, as his exposed skin glistened with seat, and his hair stuck to his forehead and neck. Harry swallowed nervously and stepped backwards, his heart suddenly beating faster than it should be.

Harry padded back to the kitchen, and filled up a glass of water before returning to the training room. He quietly walked up to Draco, who only stopped when Harry held out the glass of water for him to take, which he did without making eye contact. Harry cleared his throat and said hesitantly, "I didn't know you knew anything about hand to hand combat."

"I don't, really," Draco answered, his eyes fixed firmly on the punching bag, which had only just stopped moving. He lifted up the now empty glass and muttered a quick 'thanks', before bringing his hand up to wipe his mouth of excess water.

That was when Harry noticed the condition of the other boy's hands. "Draco!" he exclaimed softly, taking Draco's hand in his own two. His knuckles were bleeding, as the skin was rubbed raw with the careless treatment. Draco's hand felt limp in his own as he neither encouraged nor resisted the touch. Harry concentrated his magic into his hands, attempting to sooth the wounds. The only acknowledgment Draco gave as his hands were healed was a slight twitch at the tingling sensation.

After both appendages had been cared for, Harry looked up. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked softly.

"No," Draco answered quickly, just as softly but with much more force.

"It's not good to hold stuff in, you know," Harry replied.

Draco gave him a pointed glare, at once indicating the punching bag beside them, and his breakdown last night. "That's rich, coming from the _king_ of emotional repression."

Harry recoiled the slightest bit, as if physically wounded, and narrowed his eyes at Draco's attitude. He worked hard to calm himself, remembering the stress the other boy was under at the moment. "Yes, and I always ended up blowing up at my friends because of it," he pointed out. "I've learned that it's far better to just talk out problems from the start."

Draco turned a glare on him then, and Harry saw within the flashing gray eyes the Draco he knew from school. He took a half step back in surprise. "Well, we all can't be _you_, can we?" He turned so that his back was facing Harry, and his hands clenched into tight fists. It was an obvious dismissal, but when had Harry ever listened to orders?

Harry sighed, and after a very quick debate with himself, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Draco from behind. "I wasn't asking you to be," he said quietly, and Draco shivered involuntarily as Harry's breath ghosted across his shoulders. "It's just, I know what it's like, to feel like life is suddenly hopeless; when it feels like the walls are closing in around you and there's nothing you can do but sit down and admit defeat." He tightened his grip, and felt Draco relax just a little into the embrace. "Don't shut me out, Draco…I don't want to go back to being rivals. I probably understand more than anybody what you're feeling. I know everyone deals with stress differently, and I'm not going to make you talk, but please…let me help in some way at least."

Draco sighed heavily, then, and completely relaxed, and Harry had to place one foot back to brace himself against the sudden extra weight. He noticed a symbolism in the gesture, and wondered if Draco had done that on purpose. He smiled, and laid a light kiss on Draco's shoulder, immediately berating himself afterwards as Draco tensed. He really had to stop that; he'd never been so affectionate before, so why now?

With a quietly muttered 'sorry', Harry quickly pulled away – making sure Draco was supporting his own weight of course – and cleared his throat. "So…what do you say we start the animagus training now?"

Draco, after fighting the blush from his cheeks, turned around and nodded. He could see in the green eyes that Harry was still worried about him, and was slightly touched by the concern. But still, he was angry with himself for his breakdown the night before. Malfoys do _not_ show such weakness, no matter what. But then again, how long would he even remain a Malfoy? His father had made quite clear what would happen if he did not return, and he had absolutely no intention of going back to Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

And yet…maybe it wasn't so bad, to open up to Potter. The boy was right after all; he would understand more than most what Draco was feeling. It's not like he was changing who he was; he just allowed Harry to see more of his 'other side.' It always had been a rather repressed part of him. And it was kind of nice, he decided, to know that he could show his most vulnerable side, and not be laughed at, or mocked for his weakness. Only a sympathetic understanding was passed between them, and if anybody was a pillar to lean on, it was Harry. With a deep sigh, Draco finally locked gazes with the Gryffindor, who looked happy with the simple acknowledgment. "Sorry," he said softly, throwing a lot of weight into that one word. He wondered if Harry heard it.

Judging by the light that appeared in Harry's eyes, he had indeed understood. Had they already gotten to know each other so well? Or maybe they were initially more alike than either first knew. Draco smirked slightly and shook his head. "Sometimes I just don't understand you, Potter," Draco said, causing Harry to raise an eyebrow in amusement.

"Me? You're the confusing one around here. I'm having a hard enough time keeping up with your mood swings!" He added a grin, hoping Draco would take that as the simple joke it was, and was glad when Draco just rolled his eyes and muttered 'yeah, yeah….' Harry, taking one last slight risk and quite unable to stop himself besides, stepped forward and brushed a drying lock of Draco's hair behind his ear. It was such a simple affection, that Draco closed his eyes without thinking about it. They snapped open again, though, when Harry spoke. "I know you're strong, Draco. You don't have to prove anything to me." And then he pulled back quickly, blushing quite profusely, and said, "Now come on, let's get started."

Draco shook his head in amusement. "I'll figure you out someday." Then before Harry could respond, he changed the topic. "So what do you know about animagi, anyway? And how do you know?"

Harry smiled a bit at that. "My father and godfather were both animagi. I learned a couple things from Sirius before he – well, he taught me a bunch of stuff anyway. The first part is, obviously, finding your form. The best way is basically like the meditation we've been doing." He motioned for Draco to sit down in front of him, and the boy complied with minimal hesitation. "Okay, now close your eyes."

Again Draco did as he was told, and he both heard and felt as Harry started to walk slow circles around him. Suddenly he opened one eye and said with a slightly frightened tone, "Do you think…do you think it'll be a ferret?"

Harry chuckled. "Been traumatized enough with that one, have you? Does it feel like it would be a ferret to you?" He paused, but before Draco could reply, he continued on with a thoughtful expression. "Mostly animagus forms seems to fit a person's personality in some way. Sirius was a dog, and he was the energetic playful type. McGonagall is a cat, which sort of fits her prim and proper attitude I suppose. Pettigrew…" he said the name with obvious disgust, "the damn traitor was a rat. And my father was a stag. Though I'm not exactly sure how that one fits in, I guess it was the way he held himself."

Both of Draco's eyes were opened now as he listened. No, he didn't feel like a ferret. But then, what was he like? He could easily see Harry as a lion, cliché as that may be, and chuckled quietly at the thought. He stopped his musings though as Harry continued. "Now with you, it's hard to say. You've basically got two sides. In one of them I could see the ferret; they're mean little rodents, and sneaky to boot. While you have both of these qualities, there's another side to you as well. Close your eyes," he reprimanded as he noticed Draco watching him, and Draco immediately snapped them shut; he'd forgotten about the order in the first place.

Harry smiled and continued his slow, pacing circle. "Now this other side, the one you've shown me this summer, is somehow…more playful, as strange as it still seems. You've still got wit, but the bite is not there. You always keep your Slytherin presence about you, but show a side that is, somehow, easily loveable. And yes, I just said that. Now think of these things, and what you know about yourself, and just mull them over. What image comes to your mind? It may even be more of a feeling than an image. Focus on it, and encourage this image. It should take a hold of you. Don't worry, you'll be able to change back once you've transformed." He stopped as he felt a slight change in Draco's aura, and watched in fascination as the boy began to change.

Draco was surprised at how easily the image came to him. He couldn't see it as a distinct form; it was more like a presence. As he tried to see it closer, he felt himself begin to transform, and was pleasantly surprised when it wasn't as painful as he had imagined it to be. Mostly it just felt awkward.

When the transformation was complete, Harry couldn't help but smile at the gray eyes – now with a more prominent hint of blue – staring back up at him. Now, where Draco had sat just a few moments ago, was a shining silver fox. All the fur had that same glowing sheen as Draco's hair, except for the tips of his ears, his paws, and the tip of his tail, which were a midnight black. Harry dropped to his knees in front of the animal, and reached a hand forward hesitantly.

Draco pushed his nose forward, and nudged Harry's hand, to which Harry grinned and grabbed the fox into a tight hug. "Draco you're adorable!" he cried as the fox yelped at the sudden assault. He quickly let go, and conjured a mirror. Draco looked on interestedly, and seemed to hold his head up higher as he turned in a few circles to admire his form. "I think it fits, actually. An animal generally known to be mischievous and sneaky, while being caring to those it loves. A cute animal, but also sleek, and graceful. Huh, never would have thought of it, but I think it's perfect."

Draco barked once, and sat down, sticking his nose up in an obviously prideful pose. Harry chuckled. "I suppose it's a testament to your own abilities that you were able to do that so quickly. Finding one's animagus form isn't supposed to be easy, you know." Draco gave him a foxy grin, and Harry actually laughed at the sight. "I have a feeling this year's going to be a lot more fun with you around like that." Draco barked in agreement, before changing back, the grin still on his face. Harry's breath caught for a moment at the purely happy expression. It seems Draco was quite proud of himself. It was a relief after finding him taking out his anger and frustration on a punching bag earlier, because now that he had gotten to know Draco, he didn't ever want to go back to that bitter rivalry.

* * *

The rest of the day went smoothly, and they spent the rest of the time after Draco's successful transformation working on wandless spells, ending with a duel to test each other's skills. Now they both sat in the living room, eating a simple chicken dinner, and chatting amiably about nothing in particular.

"I suppose I should owl McGonagall, and tell her our plans. That way she can let the other teachers know what we'll be doing." Harry stated.

"You think she'll allow it?" Draco asked, wondering why on earth he hadn't thought of that before. After all, surely there was some sort of restriction on pets allowed. Could they have foxes in the school?

Harry put his chin in his hands and grinned mischievously. "She'll allow it," he said with no further explanation on the suspicious way he'd said that.

Draco raised an eyebrow, and then rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, I forgot that golden boy gets away with everything," he said half annoyed, and half amused.

Harry's expression looked amusedly disturbed. "What's with all these nicknames? I swear you have more names for me than all of Hogwarts combined."

Draco only shrugged. "Not sure where they came from actually. Usually I would just say the first thing that came to my mind when I was annoyed with you. They weren't meant to be terms of endearment," he finished with a smirk.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Harry replied. Then he looked towards the window, at the slightly cloudy sky. "I wish I had Hedwig here."

"What did you do with her?" Draco hadn't even thought about the absence of Harry's owl until he mentioned her.

"Basically told her to stay anywhere but with me. I didn't want to have to keep her locked in her cage again, so I recommended the Black house, or with the Weasleys. Basically wherever she wanted to go."

"Ah." Before anything else was said, there was a tapping from the window in the kitchen. They glanced at each other curiouslyl, and Draco got up to see what it was. Harry fell sideways in surprise as a white blur flew past him, only barely missing his head, and then Hedwig landed on the back of the armchair that Draco usually occupied. Draco walked back in looking thoroughly annoyed. "Your owl has no manners, Potter."

Harry didn't respond, as he was too busy figuring out why Hedwig appeared so suddenly, and without a letter. He stood up and walked over to greet her, but she hooted at him and scooted over to the other side of the chair. Harry blinked and walked to that side, but she did the same thing. Harry sighed. "Okay, what did I do wrong?"

Draco chuckled. "And moody too, apparently."

Harry glared in response. "How did she know to come here, anyway?"

"You called her, didn't you?"

"What?" Harry turned to look at Draco in surprise. "You mean earlier?" Draco nodded, and Harry's mouth dropped in surprise. "You mean I could just call her anytime, and she'd know?"

"You didn't know that?" Draco asked, sounding as if it should be so obvious.

"No I didn't know that!" Harry cried, throwing his arms up in the air. Then he turned back to Hedwig. "Oh come on, girl, don't be mad. I couldn't keep you with me…you'd only have been locked up. You know my uncle."

Hedwig turned her head slightly to show she was listening. "…Love you?" he added hesitantly, and ignored the snort of not-quite-repressed laughter from behind him. Hedwig seemed to forgive him then, for she left her perch, and flew onto his arm as he held it out. He smiled and stroked the soft feathers on her head, and she nipped his ear affectionately.

Draco forcefully pushed away the random jealousy and the urge to say '_My_ ear!' that struck him. After all, he felt rather stupid for being jealous of an owl…And then he was distracted as Harry turned to him and asked for a piece of parchment and a quill. He nodded and retrieved one from the office in the back, and Harry sat back down on the couch to write the letter to McGonagall. Draco sat beside him, watching over his shoulder. After the letter was finished, he said with amusement, "You're not so much asking her for permission, as _telling_ her what we're doing."

Harry smiled in response as he set the quill aside, and rolled up the parchment. "She wouldn't say no to a student's continuing education." He called his owl over, and tied the letter to her leg. "Can you take this to Professor McGonagall for me?" Hedwig hooted her consent, and took off back towards the open window in the kitchen.

* * *

It was late the next night when they received the Headmistress' reply, along with both of their school letters. The boys had been up playing a game of exploding snap when Hedwig flew into the living room and landed on the couch behind Harry, who thanked her and took the letters from her leg. He opened them up to observe their schedules, and his brows furrowed in confusion. "Our schedules are the same?" he questioned, looking up at Draco curiously. "I'd thought you would at least take Arithmancy or something."

Draco shrugged and looked off to the side. "It's easier this way."

Harry paused, and stared at Draco. Had the Slytherin just done something to make _Harry's_ life easier? "But, do you need the class? I don't want you to get out of school just to realize you needed a certain class or something and—"

"Harry. It's fine. Don't worry. Trust me, this will make the year far less stressful for the both of us in the end."

Harry looked doubtful, but nodded anyway. "Alright. If you're sure."

"I am."

Harry set the schedules aside to look at their required materials list. "She only gave us one list. Oh look, there's a letter here too." He pulled it out and scanned it quickly. "Doesn't say much really. She'll be watching out for us, and is telling the other teachers that you're being taught in private and that I'll be collecting your work to give to her. Pomfrey knows too about your being a fox. Hermione's been made head girl…I've got a few questions for them when we get back…I suppose we should go to Diagon Alley for our school supplies soon."

Draco raised an eyebrow as he watched Harry talk aloud to himself. "Yes, we probably should," he replied when Harry paused enough to show he was done speaking.

"Are you going to go as the fox?" Harry asked.

Draco nodded, picking up the exploding snap cards to put them away. "It might be suspicious if I didn't. If people saw me with you, then suddenly I disappeared and you had a fox for no reason, well, people might not put it together, but I don't want to take that chance."

"That makes sense." Harry nodded in agreement as he set the letter aside. "Alright then, shall we go tomorrow?"

"Yeah. This'll be the first time you show off your new look to the world, won't it?" Draco asked with a mischievous grin.

Harry leveled an amused glare on him, which shouldn't have been possible, but he somehow managed to pull off the expression well. "It's not really a new look…I've just got new clothes and glasses."

Draco smiled, and stood. "Trust me Harry, it makes a difference." He walked towards the back, and paused in the doorway. "I'm going to go to bed now. See you in the morning, Harry." And then he disappeared. Harry sat in the living room for a few minutes more, still trying to get over the fact that Draco had changed his schedule like that. He wondered how the other boy had managed to notify McGonagall when they'd only come up with the plan yesterday. Shaking his head in bemusement, Harry stood, and went to his own bedroom to retire for the night.

* * *

Harry was woken abruptly – and quite rudely in his opinion – the next morning when the air was suddenly knocked from his lungs as something heavy pounced on his chest. He groaned in annoyance, and shoved whatever it was to the side. There was a yelp as the thing came in contact with the floor, and a growl was the only warning before it jumped back on the bed and bit Harry's ear.

"Ouch!" Harry cried as he shot up in the bed, cupping his ear and glaring at the fox that was sitting beside him and glaring right back. And then there was a boy where the fox had been, sitting with his arms crossed and his lower lip poking out ever so slightly.

"Jerk," Draco muttered, turning his head to the side.

Harry's jaw dropped. "Me? _You're_ the one who came in here and _pounced_ on me!" he cried.

Draco looked back, and stared only a moment before he flicked Harry's nose and stood up, walking quickly out of the room. Harry could only stare after him, and finally regaining his wits, yelled out, "You're taking this animagus form of yours way too much to heart, Draco!"

"Come eat!" was the only reply Draco gave from the kitchen.

Harry rolled his eyes, and grumbled about stupid ferret-foxes as he shuffled into the kitchen, clad in nothing but a pair of solid black boxers with a snitch stitched into the bottom of the left leg. If he'd been more awake he might have noticed Draco's slight fumble with the spoon in his hand as he walked into the room. He flopped down into a chair, and easily lifted his hand and caught the muffin Draco tossed his way. He smirked when Draco made an annoyed sound at the successful catch, the comment of Draco's constant quidditch losses hanging silently in the air, but untouched by either boy. Draco grabbed another muffin for himself, and sat down in the seat across from Harry.

When Harry was almost finished with his breakfast, and the prickling feeling that typically comes with being stared at still had not gone away, he looked up and raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked innocently, suddenly becoming aware of the fact he wore no shirt as he tried to figure out the expression hidden behind Draco's cool demeanor.

Draco blinked and raised his own eyebrows, almost as if to challenge Harry. "What?"

"You were staring."

"I was not."

"Yes you were."

Draco smirked, then, and leaned his chair back on the back two legs. "Dream on, Potter. Why would I be staring at _you_?"

Harry tilted his head back, and crossed his arms behind his head. "I don't know, _Malfoy_, you tell me." He watched in amusement as Draco's eyes flicked to his blatantly exposed chest, and started to feel a little better about his own recent feelings towards the blonde.

Draco swallowed, and pushed his chair back quickly as he stood up. However, he recovered almost immediately with innate Malfoy grace, and flipped his hair over his shoulder, sending a devilish grin in Harry's direction. "Please, we both know who the best-looking one around here is. Now go put some clothes on so we can go."

Harry laughed as Draco disappeared into his own bedroom to change, and got up soon after.

* * *

Diagon Alley was bustling with school students darting from shop to shop, picking up schoolbooks and new robes and other miscellaneous items they would need for the year. Harry strode down the streets, silver fox trotting at his side, occasionally brushing against his leg, as he made sure not to lose him in the crowd. They saw a few familiar faces, and Harry waved and walked on whenever people greeted him.

Harry led them directly to Gringotts, and had to apologize to Draco when they made him wait outside because they wouldn't allow pets inside the grand bank. When he gave the goblin his key, he wasn't led directly to his vault like he usually was. He looked on in confusion as the teller disappeared through a door behind him, and came back with a sheaf of papers. "Mr. Harry James Potter," he set the stack of papers down with a 'thump' and cleared his throat importantly. "You are now allowed full and complete access to all contents in the Potter and Black vaults, as stated in the rights of wizards who have come of age. Please sign here to confirm you have been notified of your inheritance." The goblin pointed a long finger to a dotted line at the bottom of the stack of papers.

Harry, quite at a loss for words, grabbed the quill handed to him and signed where he was told. When he was led to his vault this time – which was now labeled as 'Harry James Black Potter' – he nearly fell backwards in a dead faint as the door was opened to reveal more money than he ever thought he would see in one place, or at least in association with himself.

When Harry emerged from the bank a while later with a direct-link checking account – courtesy of the muggleborns that suggested it – his and Draco's first stop was for their books. Harry only bought one set, as it seemed they would be together most of the time anyway. When they were done there, they went to buy other school supplies; ink, quills, parchment, and he made sure to get extra, keeping in mind that he was shopping for two. After stopping at a few stores, they made their last stop at the Apothecary to get the potions ingredients required for Slughorn's class. Draco grabbed a few extra ingredients and tossed them in the bag, gaining a curious look from Harry, but he bought them anyway. As they left, Harry spotted the pet shop a little ways down the street. He paused to look at it, causing Draco to run into the back of his legs. He chuckled as the fox barked angrily and glared up at him. He ignored it and knelt down. "Hey Draco…can I get you a collar?"

The look on the fox's face definitely did not belong on a fox. It looked incredulous and scathing at the same time.

"I'll make it a pretty one," Harry said with a smile, and now the expression was one that clearly stated, 'You're an idiot.' "Come on, Draco," Harry whispered, "I think it will be good. People will at least know they'll have someone to deal with if they try to take you or something. After all, you are a beautiful animal, lots of people might want to have you for themselves." He added the last part in hopes of appealing to the vain Slytherin.

Draco tilted his head as if to say '_Duh._' After a moment, the fox sighed, which admittedly sounded very strange on an animal, and started walking toward the pet store. Harry smiled and followed, planning to make it up to the boy with a really nice dinner that evening.

When they walked into the store, Draco trotted over to some area to entertain himself while Harry went over to the section that held all of the pet accessories. There were all sorts of collars there, ranging from simple cloth, to diamond studded. He drifted to the more expensive looking ones, and was immediately drawn to a single object. It was a black leather collar, with a silver clasp in the middle and a pattern of diamonds and emeralds embedded on each side of the clasp, extending all the way around.

With a smile, Harry picked it up and walked over to the counter, setting the item onto the wooden surface. The owner of the shop looked at Harry in surprise, his expression showing that people didn't buy these sorts of things often. "I'll take this please."

"That'll be five-hundred and fifty galleons." His tone was a little disbelieving, but Harry only nodded and pulled out his new checkbook, writing out the correct amount. He gave the check to the man, and grabbed the collar, throwing a 'thanks' over his shoulder, and went over to find Draco.

Draco was – much to his chagrin – quite entertained by the toy section of the pet store. There was one fuzzy mouse especially that scampered about on its own around the floor, and he found himself chasing it as he waited for Harry to finish. After much chasing, he had finally captured his prey, but was startled into letting it go by laughter from behind him. He turned around and barked at the interruption only to realize it was Harry standing there laughing. Immediately he straightened and held his head up high, though the backwards tilt of his ears betrayed his embarrassment.

Harry smiled, and knelt down in front of Draco. "I told you before, you don't have to prove yourself to me." He lightly tapped the fox's nose. "Besides, that was cute. Now what do you think?" He held up the collar for Draco to see, and he was quite sure he saw the animal's eyebrows (do animals have eyebrows?) rise in surprise. Draco sniffed appreciatively, yet still somehow managed to seem arrogant, and Harry wondered how he did it all under the guise of a fox. He just shook his head in amusement, and clasped the collar around Draco's neck. "Looks good," he said after it was settled against the silver fur. Draco turned in a circle and held his head up proudly, and Harry smiled. "Alright princess, come on. I need to make one more stop at the grocery store before we go back home."

As they were passing the ice cream shop, they came across two people neither had expected to see today. It was Ron who noticed them first. The redhead stood up, and Hermione turned around in confusion. "Harry?" She said as if she didn't quite believe it. And then she got over her momentary surprise, and said more excitedly, "Harry!" before jumping up and rushing to him, grabbing Harry in a bear hug that made it hard for him to breathe.

"Er…'lo Hermione," he managed to get out, and Ron chuckled.

"'Mione, let him breathe."

She backed off and smiled brilliantly at him. "Harry it's so good to see you again! I'm _so_ sorry we haven't sent any letters but Moody's practically taken over the order, and he's got everyone under such tight security and we've been so _worried_ I was afraid you might be hurt or something but we couldn't get in contact and I—"

"Woah, woah, Hermione, slow down!" Harry cried, putting his hands up in front of him. "Moody, as in Mad-eye Moody?"

"Yeah, it's been bloody awful, mate." Ron added.

"Oh! What a pretty fox!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed. She reached out to pet it, but the fox growled and backed behind Harry's legs.

Harry laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. "He uh…doesn't like strangers."

"Oh…" Hermione whispered, holding her hand to her chest. "Sorry. But, where did you get him? Or when? Or…why, for that matter?"

"Hermione, I think we've got more important things to talk about than why Harry has a new pet." Ron stated, his arms crossed over his chest. Both friends glanced at him in surprise, and he looked back equally confused. "What?"

Harry shook his head and Hermione smiled. "You're right," she stated, gesturing for Harry to come sit. He followed, and Harry knew Draco would be grumbling if he had a voice at the moment. "First things first…Where have you been?"

Harry winced at her tone, and started thinking quick. "What do you mean?"

"The order was sent to get you, but you weren't at your family's house, and all they got out of your uncle was that 'some blond freak took you away.'" She glared pointedly, and Harry faltered under the stare. "How many blonde wizards do we know, Harry?"

"Umm…a lot?" He tried hopefully, but was quickly quieted. He looked to Ron for help, but he just shrugged and gave him a lopsided smile. Obviously no help was coming from that direction.

"We thought Lucius Malfoy had taken you prisoner somewhere!" Hermione cried, and Harry immediately tried to shush her. "You could have at least sent us a letter to show us you were okay! And, if it wasn't Malfoy that took you, who _have_ you been with all summer?"

Harry smiled and shook his head. "It doesn't matter…like you said, I'm okay now; that's all that matters, right? Tell me though, how has Moody taken over the order? I thought McGonagall would run it in Dumbledore's place."

Hermione, successfully distracted for the moment, shook her head sadly. "She's been so busy at the school that she hasn't been able to take the job as leader on top of that. It's been a sort of joint effort by everyone, but without established leadership, it's been so hectic. It's quite sad, really. And so Moody took it upon himself to try and reestablish order, but really, he's only made it worse with his paranoia."

Ron laughed, and added his own part. "He's started jumping at people around corners shouting '_Constant Vigilance!_' Everyone's been so jumpy, I actually got the twins once with one of their own fireworks! They shrieked like girls and ran off to mum, oh you should have been there, Harry, it was priceless!"

Harry averted his gaze to the side. "I'm sure I would have loved to have been there, Ron," he muttered, and Draco nudged his thigh sympathetically. Harry smiled, and scratched the silver ears.

There was a momentary pause, before Hermione spoke up suddenly. "Come back with us Harry, to Grimmauld Place! You were supposed to come on your birthday, but since we couldn't find you…and you still haven't told us where you've been."

Harry shook his head and smiled in amusement. "From the sounds of it, I think Grimmauld is the last place I want to be right now. That house is grim enough on its own; it doesn't need Moody to make things worse. No, I'm fine where I'm staying now." He looked down at Draco, and saw the eyes staring up at him with a promise of many questions to come. He sighed, and looked back up to his two friends. "Sorry guys, I know it's only been a few minutes, but I really should be going. I have to do some grocery shopping before I go back. I'll meet you both on the train, and we can discuss everything then, okay?"

They both looked a little put out that he was leaving so soon without any explanation for his disappearance, but both acquiesced, knowing that if Harry didn't want to tell, he wouldn't tell. "Alright," Hermione said solemnly. "Just be careful, Harry. It's dangerous out there."

Harry laughed at that. "'Mione…remember who you're talking to. My life _is_ danger." He pushed his chair back, and saluted them both with a lazy flick of his hand. "I'll see you in a few days." And then he left, with Draco happily following at his side. "Sorry about that," he said to Draco as they walked to a section of stores near Diagon Alley. It was more of a neighborhood-style marketplace, and that was where the grocery store was located. They walked through the sliding doors, and Harry idly wondered how similar the magic that controlled them was to muggle electricity.

"You'd think they would have at least snuck one letter out to me, to let me know what was going on or something," Harry sighed as they walked down the first isle. Draco tilted his head curiously. He could sense the irritation in the boy wonder, and marveled at how well he hid it. Suddenly Draco stopped and sat down, and Harry walked a few more steps before he realized he was moving forward alone. Turning curiously, Harry walked back and kneeled down in front of the animal. "What's wrong?"

Draco reached forward, and licked Harry's cheek before pulling back just as quickly and walking on as if nothing had happened. Harry fell back so he was sitting, and stared forward blankly in surprise. Draco had _licked_ him. He smiled a bit at that; obviously he had been able to sense his emotions. But could that be counted as a kiss? Or was it just a noncommittal action of assurance? Harry sighed, realizing he was analyzing a lick to the check way too much, and stood up to finish the grocery shopping before he made more of an idiot of himself. When he caught up to Draco, he tugged one of his ears gently. "Thanks."

Draco snapped at the hand with no intention of actually biting, and continued on. Harry chuckled. "So I was thinking of making chicken marsala tonight, what do you think?"

Draco barked excitedly, and he even wagged his tail to show his approval. "I'll take that as a yes." And so the rest of the shopping trip went smoothly as they gathered the required ingredients.

When they finally arrived back at the house, it was late afternoon, and both were just a little bit tired. Harry pulled all the shopping bags from his pockets and de-shrunk them. Draco transformed back, and stretched appreciatively. "Ugh, being a fox is fun and all, but I'm quite glad to have my body back."

Harry smiled a bit sadly. "I'm afraid you're going to be in that form far more than that when we start school again."

Draco's shoulders slumped, and he sighed as he flopped gracefully onto the couch. "Yes, but I think I can stand it for my own safety." When he got no response from Harry, he looked up curiously. "Harry?"

The reply was slow. "…yeah?"

"Um…are you okay?"

"You still have the collar on."

Okay that wasn't the reply he had been expecting. He reached up and ran his fingers over the jeweled pattern. "Did you expect it to go away? It's a gorgeous collar by the way; I should thank you for that. It looks expensive, are these real?"

"Yeah, they are." A corner of Harry's mouth twitched upwards. "I think I like it better on you as a human. It's hot." Suddenly his eyes widened, and Harry slapped a hand over his mouth. He did _not_ just say that. Standing up quickly, Harry grabbed the grocery bags, and with a quick shout of 'dinner!' was running off into the kitchen. Draco's amused laughter followed him all the way there.

* * *

In the next few days Draco found it fun to tease Harry when he could. The boy seemed to have a little fetish for the collar, and was once speechless when Draco walked into the living room after a shower with no shirt, collar on, and damp hair pulled back into a low ponytail. He had simply wanted to see Harry's reaction, and so sat down on his usual chair and picked up his book. He wasn't disappointed as Harry adopted the 'fish out of water' look. He couldn't help the smirk that pulled at his lips when Harry blushed and simply tried to ignore his presence. He decided that day that it was fun to mess with Harry, and wondered at when the golden boy had become gay. Or maybe he was bi. He should probably ask, but that wouldn't be as fun. Then he wondered if Harry was simply attracted to him, or if it went deeper than that – if there were any emotions involved. In that moment he made it his mission to find out.

"School's tomorrow," Harry said suddenly, and Draco almost jumped at the sudden noise in the silence. After all, he'd been very deep in his scheming.

"Are you ready?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Are _you_ ready?" he countered. It went unstated that of course Harry was ready. They'd been training diligently the last month, and of course danger was no stranger to Harry.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Draco returned. "You think anything will happen this year?" he asked curiously, and wasn't really expecting an answer.

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think…a lot of things are going to happen this year. I just get the feeling of something big, and my gut usually doesn't lie." He sighed, and slouched back so that he was lying across the couch. "Should be interesting, at least." He turned to Draco then, and sent him a calculating look. "Are you scared?"

Draco smirked, and lifted his chin. "Never."

"Good," Harry answered with a smirk of his own, and when they locked gazes, both knew they were ready to take on anything their last year at Hogwarts could throw their way.

* * *

A/N: Anyone who gets the chapter title reference gets cookies.

So yeah, sorry it took me a bit to get this chapter out. I thought thanksgiving break would give me more time…but I've actually been _more_ busy than when I'm at school, and I've still got a project I need to be working on.

So, despite lack of plot or any forward-moving direction, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry to all who wanted Draco to be a ferret, but really I like him this way. And again I haven't gone back and edited, but I'm _really _tired. I might do that later. So anyway, until next chapter, au revior!


	6. Return to School

A/N: To Ninja Squirrel, whom I couldn't reply to. Um, I think the dish is Italian. At least, it's my favorite at an Italian restaurant I always go to, and I think they spell it 'Marsala'. It's the type of sauce they use, and it has mushrooms, and…I'm gonna stop there because I _really_ want some now, lol.

A huge thank you to all my reviewers! Over 100 on 5 chapters…definitely a new record for me! And 105 Alerts too! You've made me one happy author! Now, on to the story!

* * *

**Chapter 6: **Return to School

* * *

Harry and Draco arrived at the train station ten minutes before the scarlet engine was to depart; plenty of time to find an empty compartment near the back before all the other students boarded. They received many stares, and people whispered as they passed, wondering why Harry Potter had a silver fox following him around now, and where he had gotten it. He ignored most, and smiled at some when he knew them, but mostly he just walked quickly past everybody and onto the train. When he finally did find one of the further-most compartments, Harry put his suitcases onto the rack, and flopped down in one of the window seats. Draco hopped up onto the seat next to him, and laid his head across Harry's lap.

Harry looked down in surprise, and smiled as the fox appeared to be drifting off to sleep. "Tired, Draco?"

A slight huff was his only response, and Harry chuckled. "I told you not to stay up too late." Draco opened one eye and glared. True Harry had said not to stay up late as he walked off to bed, but he couldn't help it. He'd had far too much on his mind the night before to be able to go to sleep easily. "Nervous, huh?" Harry asked, and Draco was a bit surprised at the correct guess. Harry smiled, and stroked the silver fur on the fox's head, occasionally scratching his ears. "It's alright, you've got the whole train ride to sleep. I'll be right here."

Those words were more comforting than Draco would have ever imagined them to be, and he felt a smile cross his face despite himself – a smile easily visible even as a fox. And then he felt himself drifting off at the soft caress of Harry's fingers.

It was only about five minutes later when the compartment doors were pulled open, and Ron, Hermione, and Ginny joined them. "Hiya, Harry!" greeted Ron as they all tossed their bags onto the rack with his.

"Hey guys," Harry returned.

"Oh Harry, it's so good to see you again!" Ginny cried, and walked towards Harry to hug him. She wasn't able to do so, though, as Draco lifted his head, and snapped at her hand, growling and daring her to come closer.

"Draco!" Harry hissed in a whisper that only the fox would hear. Draco only sniffed proudly, as if for a job well done, and laid his head back down. Harry smiled apologetically at Ginny. "Sorry Gin, he…doesn't like people much."

Ginny stepped back slowly, and took the seat across from Harry, watching the fox warily. "I see…um, Harry…where did that thing come from?" The other two took their seats as well, with Hermione next to Ginny, and Ron sitting on the seat on the other side of Draco.

"He's not a _thing_," Harry replied automatically. "He's more of a friend, really."

"That collar looks expensive, mate," Ron stated out of nowhere, apparently not even realizing that made no sense in the conversation, and Draco smirked to himself.

"Yeah, well, what can I say, he's a princess." He felt the rumble as Draco growled at him, and had to laugh.

"You still haven't answered my question, Harry," Ginny pointed out from her position slumped down in her own seat, a pout on her face. She was miffed that she was blocked from a hug from her Harry by a _fox_.

"Question? Oh, right. Well…I found him."

There was a long pause, before Ginny finally said, "That's it?"

"Were you expecting more?"

Hermione looked as if she might suspect Harry to have gone mad over the summer. "Harry, you disappear without a word on your birthday, then you come back toting a fox of some breed I've never seen, and with new clothes and glasses no less, and with no explanation for anything you've done!"

Harry blinked in surprise, feeling a rather irrational anger at her words. He felt like he shouldn't have to _explain_ anything. They were his friends, not his parents; he didn't have to tell them what he was doing. Then he felt an immediate guilt for his thoughts. They were just worried about him. Harry sighed, purposefully calming himself, and looked up at his friends. "Well I didn't hear a word from you guys all summer either. Don't you think I was worried too? Locked in my room and nearly left to starve…and of course no one can come check up on me _before_ my birthday, right? Oh what a huge inconvenience it would be! At one point I even thought you guys had decided you'd be better off without me!"

Draco could practically feel the pent up emotions rolling from Harry in waves. Apparently the boy had been repressing a lot over the summer, and now he was having a hard time restraining it. Reluctantly, he sat up, and after Harry's rant, tugged lightly on his ear; it was a gesture that had become familiar to both of them, and had the desired effect of distracting Harry and calming him at the same time. The dark-haired boy chuckled, and patted Draco softly. "Thanks." Draco nodded in response, and took his place again lying down.

Harry looked up again to find the three other occupants of the compartment staring at him oddly. "What?" he asked after a moment.

"Why did he do that?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged. "It's just something he likes to do. I've no idea why he does it, really." He smirked in amusement at the thought of Draco's strange habit. "Anyway," Harry started, keen on changing the subject, "What was this about Moody taking over? He can't _really_ be the new leader, can he?"

The atmosphere of the compartment suddenly turned serious, and Hermione cast a silencing charm on the door. "Well of course he wasn't _elected_ leader," she said as if it were obvious; which, really, it was. "It's just that, like we said before, he's managed to sort of put himself in that position while McGonagall has been too busy."

"You think she'll sort it out?" Harry asked.

"She'd better," Ron stated forcefully. "I have a feeling the order will fall real quick under his leadership."

Ginny nodded in agreement. "He's way too paranoid; nothing productive has been done all summer!"

"Nothing?" Harry asked in a tone that bordered on exasperated.

Hermione shook her head. "We tried to get him to send out spies, or to do some research on something – anything – that might be helpful, but all he wanted to do was cast more safety charms on the house, and figure out escape plans. Of course, those are good to have too, but we _need_ to plan an offensive!"

Harry sighed, and rested his head against the seat, closing his eyes against an impending headache of frustration. "Well then it looks like that part is, as usual, up to me."

"Do you have a plan, Harry?" Ginny asked, leaning forward in her seat slightly.

Harry turned his gaze to the window, absently stroking Draco's fur as he thought. Should he reinstate the D.A.? The students should know how to protect themselves, but he didn't want to involve them in the war either. Well he supposed he'd wait for the decision on that one when he could judge whether this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor would be competent or not. Of course he would continue training with Draco, but he wondered how much help they would need. Would the Aurors help? And the Ministry? Would the order be enough? Especially with Moody unwittingly breaking everything apart…

Thoughts of the Order began leading him to thoughts of Voldemort and all that the snake-like man had done to him, and Harry's eyes narrowed. His grip tightened on the fur beneath his hands, and a warning growl was heard from the animagus. Harry blinked and immediately uncurled his fist with an apology. "We need to find out what Voldemort has planned, or if he has anything planned at all. If we know his next move, then we can prepare." He stopped and thought for a moment. Since his magic had gotten so much stronger, how well would he fare with occlumency now? Especially since he wouldn't have Snape breathing down his neck. He vowed to discuss it with Draco later, before turning back to his friends. "We can come up with actual plans later. But right now, tell me about your summers, aside from the whole issue with Moody and the Order of course."

The three told tales of what they'd done, which was nothing spectacular. They told the more amusing stories about Moody and some of the Order's reactions, including one Remus Lupin yelling at the man to shut up or his wolfsbane potion might become mysteriously lost. The twins had quite the time messing with the paranoid man as well it seemed, for they now had several new products spawned from ideas gained at Grimmauld Place.

Suddenly, Hermione jumped up. "Oh no, I completely forgot! I was supposed to meet McGonagall in the prefect's compartment! Sorry guys, I'll be back later!" And then she dashed out the door, leaving the rest of the group blinking at the spot she'd just been.

"Right then…who's up for a game?" Ron asked, pulling down a suitcase that held some cards, a chessboard, and a few other objects of entertainment.

Harry leaned his head against the window. "I think I'll pass. Wake me up before we get there, would you?" And then he closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep as the sounds of exploding snap drifted past his ears.

* * *

Harry was jolted awake when the compartment door was slammed open. He looked up in surprise to see Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini glaring daggers at him. Before he could even ask what they were doing there, or before Ron could explode at them for making him drop his game, Parkinson spoke.

"Alright Potter, what did you do with him?"

Harry stared blankly for a moment, while Draco – who had been startled by the noise of their intrusion as well – watched warily from his place sitting beside Harry. "What did I do with who?" he asked, having a good idea where this conversation was going.

"With Draco, idiot! What have you done to him! Oh, my poor Drakey-poo, you kidnapped him and probably did horrible, _awful_ things to him!" Zabini raised an eyebrow at her display, but soon turned his gaze back to Harry.

"Why in _Merlin's_ name would you think I've done _anything_ to him?" Harry asked, a bit dumbfounded at the accusation, and yet unnerved by the accuracy of it. Well, the being with him part, anyway. The rest was pretty much nonsensical drabble.

Pansy placed her hands on her hips, and oh, if looks could kill… "He didn't return with Professor Snape. We _know_ they escaped together, but he never went back to the Dark Lord. The only _reasonable_ explanation is that _you_ kidnapped him! You killed him didn't you?" Her voice was reaching a shrill pitch near hysterics now, and Harry and Draco both winced, Draco pinning his ears back against his head.

Harry sent Draco a look that plainly said '_How on earth did you put up with this?_' before turning back to Parkinson to reply. "That's the _only_ 'reasonable' explanation you could come up with? That makes no sense!" Harry cried, while Ron and Ginny watched the argument as if watching a tennis match, seeming a little too interested in Harry's opinion. "Why would I have any reason to kidnap your _Drakey-poo_? Kidnapping is Voldemort's domain, not mine. I don't know what's happened to your precious prince, but I've had _nothing _to do with it." He crossed his own arms, and sent a chilling glare right back at Parkinson.

Draco had to give Harry props; he was far better at lying than he used to be. He was going to have to yell at him later though…he _never_ wanted to hear the words 'Drakey-poo' coming from those lips again. He shuddered, and then turned his attention back to the argument.

Zabini spoke this time, and his voice was much calmer than Parkinson's, but also sounded _much_ more dangerous. "The Dark Lord sensed that you have seen him. We know of your connection to him. He saw it in your mind – in your sleep. He doesn't know the specifics, but mark my word, Potter, we _will_ find out. _He_ will find out." And with those chilling words, the door was closed again, and the Slytherin posse left, and Crabbe and Goyle could be heard cracking their knuckles in irritation as they walked away.

Harry shivered involuntarily, and he gulped nervously. Suddenly, Draco growled, and leapt from the seat, tugging on Harry's pant leg. He looked down curiously. "What?" Draco walked to the door, and gave him a pointed stare, and Harry realized he was supposed to follow. "Oh, um, I'll be right back guys," he said to the other occupants of the room.

When the door was slid open again, Draco bounded off towards the end of the train, and stopped at a door to one of a few bathrooms there. Harry sighed and, after looking around to make sure no one was watching, opened the door and they both stepped in. It was just big enough to accommodate three people, and expanded a bit when they both stepped in. Oh the joys of magic. Almost immediately after the door was closed, Draco transformed back into a human, and pinned Harry with a glare that had Harry taking a nervous step backwards.

"He _knows_?" Draco hissed, and Harry flinched.

"Well…like Zabini said, he doesn't know _details_ or anything, and–" He was quickly cut off as Draco fisted his hand in the collar of Harry's shirt and slammed him against the wall. Harry winced as his head came in contact with the metal, and he vaguely wondered if anyone would be able to hear that from the outside.

"And just _how_, exactly, does he _know_ that you've been with me?"

Harry growled at the harsh treatment. Was this _really_ necessary? "The link…that he mentioned. It was- was one of the nightmares I think. Usually I see into his mind, but I guess he turned it around, and saw into my head instead."

Draco somehow managed to look angry, slightly worried, exasperated, and frustrated all at once. "Weren't you supposed to be learning occlumency or something?" Draco asked harshly. He'd heard Severus mention it once or twice before.

Harry narrowed his own eyes at that. "Yes, I _was_. But Snape seemed to find it more fun to _torment_ me during those lessons, than actually _teach_ me. It is in _no_ way my fault!"

"It doesn't matter the teacher Harry, something that important should be learned no matter what!"

"I'd like to see _you_ try learning with one of the people who hates you most breathing down your neck all the time!"

"You mean like my _father_?" Draco spat out, and Harry immediately bit back the retort that was on the tip of his tongue. Both boys were breathing heavily, and glaring so harshly that they were taken back a few years in memories.

After a moment of a seeming battle of wills, Draco took a deep breath, and released his grip on Harry's shirt, taking a step back and facing the other wall. Harry slumped against the wall behind him, closing his eyes for a second to collect himself. "Draco I- I mean- surely he didn't…_hate_ you?"

Draco's tone was soft – restrained – when he answered. "No, I wouldn't call it _hate_. He just, was never satisfied. He would set a standard, and then when I reached that, instead of being proud, he would just turn around and say it wasn't good enough – that I should try harder. It was only when I started to express the side of myself that you know when the hate started."

"Draco, I'm sor–" Draco spoke again before he could even finish the apology.

"That's _not_ what I brought you in here to discuss. If the Dark Lord finds out about this- this friendship, you could put us _both_ in even more danger." The way he said that reminded Harry very much of a father reprimanding his child for a foolish action.

"There is no way I could possibly be in any more danger," Harry deadpanned, knowing full well he was at the top of Voldemort's hit list. "Besides, I was going to ask you, when we got to school, about the occlumency. I thought that, maybe with my improved magic, it would be stronger. And I figured since you were so close to Snape, that you might know something about it…"

When Harry trailed off, Draco nodded slowly. "I was taught both occlumency and legilimency several years back. I'm not quite as good at legilimency, but I could probably teach you the basics of occlumency. You should be able to do it, as it's really not that far from the magic control techniques we learned over the summer."

A corner of Harry's lips lifted into a small smile. "Thanks, Draco."

Draco turned around, and nodded once, his anger apparently quelled enough. There was a short silence, before Harry spoke. "It's okay…to be afraid, you know."

Draco's eyes widened a bit in surprise. "What?"

"He's a powerful Dark Lord gone nutters out to kill us both…I'm just saying it's okay to be afraid. I am. I'm terrified, but it's overcoming that fear that makes us stronger. We'll pull through, Draco, you'll see."

Draco couldn't help a small smile at that. "Sappy crap aside, you somehow always know what to say…and what I'm feeling. How do you _do _that?"

Harry shrugged. "Well I can't say I always know what you're feeling…but I can sense certain emotions through your magic, I think. And aside from that, your eyes rather give it away. They sort of change colors, did you know?"

Draco blinked, and laughed. It was such a simple statement, but it was just what was needed to relieve the tension. "Well thanks to you, I do now. No, no one had ever told me that my eyes change colors." He paused for a moment, and flashed a charming grin at Harry. "What are they now?"

Harry smiled back, and said simply, "Silver." In a moment's decision, he stepped forward, and gave the taller boy a quick hug, backing away before Draco could even get over his surprise enough to react. The Slytherin was quite sure that was the first time anyone had shown him such a simply affectionate gesture, no matter how quick it had been. He fought the blush that threatened to show at such soft sentiments, and was glad when Harry said they should be heading back before his friends began to worry. So he changed back to the fox form, and they both walked back into their compartment further up the train, not quite surprised at the serious expression on the two Weasleys' faces.

"Alright Harry, explain."

Harry stopped and stared at the harsh tone. He hadn't known Ginny to be so demanding. "Explain what?" he asked innocently as he could, getting over his shock and walking back to his own seat.

Ron spoke up next. "Why Zabini says that You-Know-Who saw you with Malfoy, for one."

Harry decided a half-truth would be better than an outright lie, and thought quickly. "Well, I did see Malfoy over the summer." Draco looked up in surprise, and Harry laid a steadying hand on his head. "I ran across him once when I was out for a walk."

"Oh no, what happened? He didn't hurt you, did he?" Ginny exclaimed, and Harry had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

"No, Gin, he didn't hurt me. We exchanged a few words, and went on our own ways. I guess it was just such an odd occasion, that it popped up into my dreams later."

Neither of the two looked _quite_ convinced, and Harry almost breathed a sigh of relief when Hermione stepped back into the compartment. "Sorry about that," she said cheerfully, taking her seat next to Ginny. She opened her mouth to say something more, but seemed to catch on to the slight tension in the air. "Is…something wrong?" she asked, looking curiously between the three.

Harry quickly shook his head. "Nothing at all, Hermione. What did McGonagall have to say?"

Hermione, successfully distracted, began a small monologue about her new and exciting duties as Head Girl, which in turn led, somehow, to a discussion about their N.E.W.T.S. that year. Ron groaned, and Harry hid a smirk when Hermione rounded on the redhead, lecturing about how these were the most important tests of his life, etc. The other occupants tuned the two's bickering out as it digressed into other random topics, and before they knew it, the train was pulling to a stop and everybody was putting on their robes and grabbing their luggage.

As they made their way to the carriages, Harry, Ron and Hermione all waved at Hagrid, who threw a greeting over the heads of the first years gathering around him. The carriage ride to the school went smoothly, as the group of friends seemed to come to a silent agreement to drop the subject of summer. Harry was glad for that, and stared out the window at the familiar grounds, thinking about how much he was going to miss them after this year. When they arrived back at the school, the great hall was as welcoming as always, and they made their way to their usual spots in the center of the table.

Draco found it a little strange, to be walking towards the opposite end of the hall; to be walking towards the boisterous, red-clad Gryffindors instead of his own, far more subdued, table of Slytherin. He pushed the thoughts aside, and decided to just curl up under Harry's seat.

The sorting of the first years was, as always, an exciting affair as tables applauded their new members, and the young ones bounced over to meet their houses of the next seven years. After that was finished, McGonagall stood, and was almost able to gain the instant silence Dumbledore had before her. She may not have been as eccentric, but she was still respected by the students, despite her stricter demeanor, or perhaps because of it.

"First off," McGonagall started once the hall had become quiet, and all eyes were focused on her, "I have already gotten a few complaints about Mr. Potter's being accompanied by a fox. I assure you I already know of this, and the situation has already been approved. That fox is, in a sense, a sort of familiar, so I do not want any more questions or complaints about it. Now then, Filch wanted me to remind you all, as usual, that the forbidden forest is off limits, and that students are not to be wandering around after hours. Also, as I am pleased to announce, we have a returning Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Remus Lupin. Perhaps he can be the one to break the supposed curse on that position," she said with a smile. The ragged man stood, and Harry's eyes lit up as he saw Remus standing at the staff table. The werewolf gave a small wave, and Harry returned it with a grin and a wave of his own.

"Now I'm sure you're all quite famished, so enjoy the feast!" And then the plates were filled with food, and happy chatter spread through the hall as students talked of their summers, and their plans for the year, and simply caught up with their friends and housemates.

Harry pushed his food around his plate, listening to the Gryffindors' chatter around him. His thoughts were back on his own summer, and he found it a little depressing that he couldn't share his own adventures with everyone else. After all, he'd made the most unlikely friend, and after he left his relatives, had had the best summer of his life. Not to mention his newly uncovered powers. He wasn't going to tell about those either, since he wanted it to be a surprise when he was next forced to face Voldemort. The element of surprise would give him a much-needed edge in battle.

"Harry?" Hermione asked hesitantly as she saw Harry staring at his food contemplatively instead of actually eating it.

Harry looked up, and the world around him quickly came back into focus. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, you're spacing out on us, mate," Ron added, mouth full of food, as he took no time to pause in his eating before he spoke.

Harry laughed as Hermione scrunched her nose at their friend's atrocious eating habits. "I'm fine, guys. Guess I'm just not that hungry today." He gave them a charming smile that was sure to convince them, or at least make them drop the subject, and as always, it worked.

As people finished their meals, it became apparent that the new greatest thing at Hogwarts was Draco. Of course no one knew who it was, they just wanted to see this 'familiar' of Harry's. People were getting up from the table and coming over to look at him, and even some from other tables. Harry tried to warn them to stay away, but there were too many. He felt Draco's magic spike in a sort of nervous apprehension as many hands reached towards him, and he barked uselessly at them. After a short time of this, Harry sighed and stood up. "Are you all daft? You're scaring him, now go back to your seats, all of you!" It wasn't shouted, but his voice was harsh enough to get everyone to back off. He rolled his eyes at them all, and after asking Hermione what the new password was going to be, he strode out of the great hall, with Draco close at his heels.

Draco looked at him curiously when Harry led them up to the seventh floor, and began pacing in front of the expanse of wall that led to the room of requirement. A door appeared, and Harry wrenched it open to reveal a rather pleasant room. There was a fire crackling softly within a white brick fireplace on the far left wall, surrounded by black leather couches covered in soft blankets and pillows. A window was placed on the far wall overlooking the lake, and the whole room was blanketed by a soft white carpet that complimented the tan walls. Other various decorations adorned the room, making it a very cozy place overall. Two doors were placed on the wall to the right, but neither bothered opening them yet.

Harry sighed and leaned against the door. "Sorry about that," he muttered, the slight irritation evident in his voice.

"It's not your fault." Harry jumped at the smooth voice only a few feet away from him. He hadn't seen Draco transform back. Harry looked up in time to see Draco smirk. "Besides, I can't help it if I'm beautiful."

Harry rolled his eyes, and walked over to one of the couches, pulling the blanket up and noticing it was just as soft as the one from Draco's house. "You were a fox, Draco."

"And yet, one has to wonder…" Draco started as he walked over and took the seat next to Harry, tugging half the blanket over himself and smiling amusedly at Harry's protest, "If they were so interested because of _me_, or because I'm _your_ fox."

Harry blushed furiously at that last sentence. '…_because I'm _your_ fox.'_ Oh, the implications! Draco turned to him and looked as if he knew what Harry was thinking as his smirk grew bigger, and Harry shoved at him with his foot. Draco laughed in response. "Probably a bit of both," he admitted finally. Just because he didn't like his fame, didn't mean he never acknowledged it. His eyes dropped to the collar resting around Draco's neck, and he couldn't get Draco's words out of his head. _'My fox…'_ He was almost disturbed at how much that thought pleased him. Sure he had admitted a certain attraction to the blonde, but…when had he become _that_ attached? He guessed it was because this side of Draco was simply so…_lovable_. Or at least, easy to get along with; maybe only to him was it lovable. Either way, he was falling, and he was falling fast. Should he be afraid at that? He felt, somewhere deep down, that he should, but he couldn't find it in himself to be so. It made him feel…happy, even, and that was something that didn't happen very often in his life.

"Harry?" Draco asked in slight concern at the other boy's silence. When he turned and saw the way those green eyes were staring so intently at – and yet somehow looking completely _through_ – his collar, he felt a very light blush graze his cheeks. Had there ever been a time when Harry looked _less_ like the innocent golden boy everybody knew him to be than now? "Harry?" he tried again, and was more successful this time as Harry blinked and looked up.

Harry quickly shook his head and muttered an apology. Draco dismissed it and decided to change the subject; they were treading on dangerous ground, a place Draco knew neither of them was quite ready to go. So instead he decided to ask, "What was wrong during dinner? And I'm _not_ going to buy the lame excuse you gave your friends, so don't even try."

Harry smiled a little guiltily, and Draco noted that the crooked smile was quite the cute expression. It suited Harry somehow. "Well, I was thinking about a bunch of stuff, so I was sort of distracted. But I also thought that, well, that I'd have dinner with you. I mean, I hadn't really thought of that before, how you're going to get food, because I'm not going to be feeding you dog kibble or anything."

Draco paused for a moment, before the image of him eating dry kibble out of a bowl on the floor labeled 'fluffy' or something similarly humiliating caught up to him, and he burst out laughing. Harry blinked in surprise. "What…?" he asked uncertainly. Draco told him of the image, and Harry chuckled too. "Oh, speaking of…" Harry started, distracting Draco from his own imagination. "I need something to call you in front of everybody else. I can't very well call you Draco, as I'm sure my friends would be wondering why I named my own familiar after my arch rival."

Draco took a moment to ponder that. "Well, I have always been rather fond of the name Arabel."

Harry tilted his head to the side curiously. "Arabel? What does it mean?"

"I'm not sure it means anything. It was a name I made up once when I was little. When I was about seven, I found a small bird that had fallen from its nest, and decided to take care of it. Arabel was the name I decided to give it; it was some syllables I threw together that I thought sounded cool. When father found out, well, he decided to teach me a lesson that day about 'weaker beings.' Apparently all things that aren't fit to take care of themselves do not deserve to live. He killed it then…the glee in his eyes was frightening actually."

Harry was silent for a while, watching Draco's profile as the boy got lost for a moment in memories of his childhood. As Draco's blank stare began turning into a glare, Harry nudged the taller boy's thigh with his foot, looking up through his bangs.

Successfully distracted from his past, Draco looked over to Harry, gave him a small smile, and wondered if Harry had any idea how adorable that pose made him look. Harry returned the smile, and any less-than-pleasant past experiences were completely forgotten. Harry's stomach growled then, protesting the boy's lack of dinner. Draco laughed at Harry's blush, and mentally ordered the room to provide them some food from the kitchens. He wasn't sure if it would work, and was glad when a table appeared before them and several steaming dishes that had been provided at dinner popped into existence on top of it.

Harry practically felt his mouth watering as he gathered food onto his plate, and the two boys ate in relative silence, with only a little meaningless conversation thrown in between bites. When they finished, they set their plates down, and the table was instantly cleared. They both sat back, enjoying the comfortable silence after the cacophony that was the Great Hall. After all, it had been just the two of them for the past month, and they'd gotten quite used to that. "Draco?" Harry asked after a little while, staring into the fire burning merrily before them.

"Hm?" The response sounded so content that Harry paused for a moment before speaking again.

"When, um…when do you think you could teach me occlumency?"

Draco's lips quirked into a small smirk, and he turned his head towards Harry the slightest bit. "Why do you sound afraid of asking me that?"

Harry blushed and pulled the blanket up, tucking his chin into it. "I dunno…I didn't know if you were still mad at me or…something."

Now Draco turned fully, and gave Harry an apologetic glance. "I wasn't really, _mad_, per se, I guess you could say I freaked out for a moment. I've always been on the other side of this war, whether my heart was in it or not, so I've just been a little nervous since this switch of sides. You saw the letter my father sent me…_you_ may be used to a bunch of people being out for your blood, but _I'm_ not. I panicked. Sorry for taking it out on you."

Harry smiled and shook his head. "You know, I don't think I'm ever going to get used to hearing apologies from you."

With an overdramatic wounded expression, Draco put a hand over his heart and said, "Harry, you wound me! Are you saying I'm _heartless_?"

Harry smirked in response. He'd grown quite fond of this banter between them. "I've always thought it more a heart of ice, actually."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Well Mr. Potter, why don't I show you how _cruel_ this cold heart can be?"

The tone was nearly on par with his old threats, but the amused and mischievous glint in his eyes was playful, and Harry shivered at the combined effect. He pulled himself out of the trance enough to grin, and jumped from the couch. "You'll have to catch me first, _Malfoy_." And then he took off at a run, with Draco close behind. There wasn't much room to run around in this area, so he decided to head for one of the doors. He nearly slammed his body into it as he wrenched open the wooden barrier, and stopped dead with one hand on the knob, and the other on the doorframe.

Draco, running too fast to stop completely, crashed straight into Harry's back, causing the boy's grip to loosen. With a grunt, he fell forward, and coughed when Draco landed on top of him. That was when Draco looked up, and his eyes widened almost comically.

Before them both was a bedroom, with a large, king-sized bed in the middle, draped in black silk sheets. There were nightstands next to the bed, and dressers against the walls on each side. Both of these were also black, and covered in tea candles, which were lit within the darkness to create, well, a very romantic atmosphere.

Harry gulped nervously, the room making him very aware of the blonde that had not moved from his position sprawled on top of him.

"Harry…" Draco started, sounding half awed, and half amused. He set his elbows on the floor on each side of Harry's head, and rested his chin in both in his hands, and on top of the black mane of hair below him. "Why is there a _bedroom_ here?" He sounded now as if he was holding in laughter, and Harry didn't know whether to feel indignant, or laugh with him.

"I didn't ask for one!" he cried, face flushing several shades of red.

"Now really, Harry, what were you _thinking_ when you were pacing in front of this room?"

"I was thinking that we needed a…private…place…oh. Damn."

Draco couldn't hold in the laughter anymore then, and rolled off of Harry, clutching his sides. "Cute Potter, real cute," he managed after a moment, reaching over to flick the boy's ear simply because he could. Harry stuck out his tongue in retaliation, but he couldn't help but admire the Slytherin as he laughed. Beautiful was the only word he could come up with, and suddenly the bedroom was too stifling, too hot.

Quickly Harry pushed himself back into a sitting position, then stood up, offering a hand to help Draco up, which was gladly accepted. They walked back into the main room, Draco still chuckling occasionally, and Harry still fighting down the blush he knew was on his face. He was only glad that Draco hadn't said anything about it.

Draco, deciding to show a bit of mercy, looked to the other door they hadn't yet looked into. "So what's in this one? Another romantic getaway perhaps?" Well, maybe not so much mercy, but hey, he had way too much fun teasing Harry to just let it drop like that.

Harry growled and stalked past him, muttering something about stupid teasing ferrets. Draco smirked in amusement as he watched Harry push the other door open. They were both slightly surprised to see a training room almost identical to the one they had been using all summer. "Well I guess that's where the bed would be useful," Draco said suddenly from Harry's shoulder. Harry jumped, and then elbowed the blonde lightly in the stomach. Draco smiled and pushed past Harry into the room. "Oh, this part's different," he suddenly said, and Harry followed in curiously.

"A bookshelf?" Harry question as he walked closer, marveling at the amount of books there.

Draco ran his finger across the titles of the books, whistling in slight admiration. "There's a lot of spell books here; these will be really useful."

Harry walked up to look as well. "Brilliant. I'll have to find excuses to escape just so we can come down here and practice…" he muttered more to himself than to Draco.

"There's an easy solution to that, actually. McGonagall threw in the word familiar when she 'introduced' me…just tell them you're training with me. A wizard and his familiar are known to train for hours on end so that they can form a stronger bond. No one will find it strange."

"Oh well that makes things simpler then." Suddenly Harry turned towards the door of the room. "Speaking of…we should probably be returning soon. My friends are going to be wondering where I disappeared to, and I'm rather tired of questions."

Draco chuckled at that. "Yes, your friends are quite the inquisitive bunch."

"I see you still don't like them," Harry said, referring to the times Draco had lashed out when the girls had reached to touch him.

Draco tilted his head a bit upwards. "Just because I've warmed to you Harry doesn't mean I'm going to automatically like everyone you associate with." The tone was obviously defensive, and Harry wondered if Draco was angry, or that perhaps he thought this would ruin their friendship. Then his head lowered, and Draco looked off to the side contemplatively. "Weasley is too loud and brash, Granger is too pompous, and the Weaslette, well, I just don't like her," Draco said, and it wasn't vindictive, he was simply stating his opinions. "You…you and I have a lot in common. You understand what it's like…to be in pain, both physically and emotionally. They don't understand the same things we've gone through. I'm sorry but, that's how I am and it's probably not going to change."

Harry shook his head amusedly, and rested his hand on Draco's shoulder. "I wouldn't expect it to, Draco. You've made it very clear to me this past month exactly who you are. If that changed for me, then…well, you wouldn't be you, would you?" At Draco's slightly baffled, and almost imperceptibly appreciative glance, Harry smiled. "We'll come back here tomorrow, but for now I think we should head back."

Draco nodded, and transformed back into his fox form, nudging Harry's leg as he walked past. Harry followed, shoving his hands in his pockets after he'd closed the door to the Room of Requirement behind him. He started humming a random tune that popped into his head, and hid a chuckle as Draco's ears turned towards him. The walk back was silent, as nearly all students were in their dorms already, getting acquainted, or reacquainted as the case may be, with their fellow housemates.

When Harry walked into the Gryffindor common room, he was bombarded not even two steps into the doorway. Immediately his fellow seventh years pulled him into their circle. Some of the younger years gathered around, and almost all of the first years crowded them, trying to see the 'great Harry Potter'. Draco stayed by the doorway, eyes twinkling in amusement when Harry sent him a desperate look. After all, there was nothing he could do. Harry glared at him for his lack of helpfulness, and Draco just gave him the fox equivalent of a shrug, and walked off to explore the rest of the dormitories, trying to ignore the overload of garish red assaulting his eyes.

Harry was shot question after question, and he didn't even have time to answer one before another was asked. One question did catch his attention, though, through the jumbled mess of words. "Harry, can we play with your fox?"

Of course, who else would ask such a question but Colin Creevey? "I'd advise against that," Harry answered seriously. "He's very, er…_particular_, and not very friendly towards strangers."

Colin took a moment to look disappointed, before launching into another question that Harry ignored. "Hey guys…?" Harry asked tentatively, but there was so much chatter around him that it went ignored. "Guys!" he all but shouted this time, and everyone turned to look at him. "I'm rather tired, so if you don't mind…I think I'm going to head to bed now. You all should too, we've got classes in the morning." And without giving anybody a chance to protest, he stood and walked up to the boy's dormitories, finding his normal bed and laying down with a heavy sigh. Draco walked in a few minutes later, and Harry smiled, patting the bed beside him.

Draco hopped up onto the bed, and looked around the room interestedly. He padded to the end of Harry's bed, and looked over the edge into his trunk. He spotted something glinting gold, and interestedly pawed at it. He jumped back when it sprouted wings, and darted out of the trunk. A snitch! He wasn't even aware Harry had one. He turned back to Harry with a questioning gaze, and Harry smiled back. "It was a gift. Frankly I'd forgotten about that. What do you say one of these nights we go out to the pitch and play a game of 'catch the snitch'?"

Draco barked happily in agreement, and jumped after the snitch, attempting to catch it in his jaws. Harry smiled as he watched, continuously amazed at the difference in this boy, and the one he knew for six years before now. And yet he wasn't different, he was still the same to everyone else. It was just that, he had let Harry in, shown him the boy beneath the defenses, and Harry felt a strange warmth flow through him at that. Only a month they had been associated, and now Harry found himself wondering how he had ever survived without the Slytherin prince's ever-steadying presence. He sighed, and his eyes drifted closed, and he fell asleep watching Draco playing with the practice snitch, a small smile playing at his lips.

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A/N: I _almost_ put the D.A. back in here, but then decided I didn't want to deal with it and took it out in my final read of the chapter, lol.

I rather liked this chapter…hope you guys do too! You know the drill; tell me what you thought, and tell me if you find any mistakes I missed!

!Oh, oh, and one last important note! If I don't update in the next three weeks, don't worry, kay? I've got my finals coming up the week after next, and I've got a lot of studying and stuff to do before then. I'll probably end up writing anyways, but I'm warning you all, just in case. But I definitely love this story too much to abandon it!

Ok that is all. So until next chapter, toodloo!


	7. And the Plot Thickens

**A/N:** To Redkitty; I'm sure I would love to check out this friend of yours' writing, but that penname did not come up in a search on ff net. Sure you got the right penname? (I know I say I like constructive criticism, but the words "I have this friend that is better then u" are just a might harsh, ya?) Thanks for the rest of the wonderful reviews though. :)

And to everybody else, so sorry for the wait! But I told you I'd be back. Also, I'm not sure how much I like this chapter…I ran across a bit of mild writer's block several times, and so much just seems choppy…I don't know. Hope it's up to par after such a long wait. (It is longer than usual at least…)

And also a quick thanks for all your well-wishes for my exams. They made me happy. Let's just hope they helped. No matter now though, because I'm finally on winter break! Yay!

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**Chapter 7:** **And the Plot Thickens (a.k.a I couldn't think of a title)**

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The first day of classes was definitely a different experience for Harry. As was tradition, first thing in the morning he had double potions with Slytherin. The only plus side to that was the fact that Snape was not there to screw him over. However, Slughorn's doting wasn't quite desirable either.

Draco sat next to his chair, head held high and playing the proud familiar of Harry Potter, and Harry coughed to cover up a laugh when he realized how very much that made him look like his human self (and also hoped that no one else picked up on that fact). When the class was made to spread out to work on individual potions, Draco leaped onto the chair beside him, watching him carefully. It made Harry just a little bit nervous; not quite in the same way Snape did, but the fact remained that he was being observed.

The potion itself was easy enough, considering it was a seventh year course, since it was their first day. Harry found himself missing Prince's book, but soon found a source that was even better. As he reached for one of the ingredients to add, a paw batted his hand, and Harry looked at Draco curiously. In response, the fox picked up a vial of liquid in his mouth, and held it towards Harry. Harry blushed and grabbed the vial, the look in Draco's eyes making him remember what he had told him a couple months back. '_Right…potions is precise, I can't think of it like cooking….'_ And so with this thought in mind, he started paying more attention to what he was doing, earning a nod of approval from Draco. In the end, his potion turned out almost perfectly, and he smiled as he thanked Draco quietly.

The rest of his classes went smoothly enough. In charms, Flitwick gushed over Draco for a bit before starting his class. In transfiguration, McGonagall had to tell Draco to behave when he started chasing the teacups they were told to turn into mice as a review. Harry was laughing so hard he could hardly breathe as Draco ran from one mouse to the other, causing several girls to shriek and jump into their chairs. The look Draco gave Harry after he finally took his place beside him again was of obvious amusement. The prat had done it just to cause a scene! And in the one class where the teacher knew who he was, no less. Harry rolled his eyes, but his reprimanding look lost its effect because of the obvious mirth twinkling behind the emerald gaze.

Care of Magical Creatures was the one class that was most different from the rest. Hagrid stood in front of the class, and told them he had a lesson plan change, and would be talking about familiars that day. Of course, Harry didn't really know anything about familiars, and had no idea what he was supposed to be doing.

"Now, 'arry, would yer like to tell the class what makes a wizard's familiar different than a normal magical creature?" Hagrid asked after he had asked Harry to stand with him in front of the rest of the class.

Harry swallowed a bit nervously, and with a glance at the expectant class, turned back to Hagrid and said, "But Hagrid, er…shouldn't you explain it? You're the teacher…and I don't know everything about them. I'm sure you could teach it much better." Harry was suddenly very glad they had this class with the Hufflepuffs this year, instead of the Slytherins, as he heard a couple of giggles from the class, but nothing more.

Hagrid looked thrown for a moment, before clearing his throat and saying, "Oh, er, yes. Right, O' course, sorry Harry." And then he went on to telling the class all about the more evolved magic found in a wizard or witch's familiar that led them to the humans, while Harry went back to his own spot, and flopped down with a heavy sigh of relief. He didn't want to look at Draco and see the 'Potter I can't believe you were stupid enough to not look up anything about familiars' look he knew would be in the grey-blue eyes.

* * *

"I'm just saying, I don't understand why they had to give us so much work on the _first day!_" Ron exclaimed, waving his hands as if to add extra emphasis to his statement.

Hermione sighed, exhibiting the patience of one teaching something to a very slow learner. "Because, Ronald, this is our N.E.W.T. year, as well as our last. They're trying to prepare us as much as possible before we leave school."

By the time dinner had rolled around, it seemed the novelty of Harry's new 'pet' was already starting to wear off and Harry, though quite glad for this, couldn't help but be amused at the pace that Hogwarts students' minds ran at. News traveled faster than sound, and while some events lingered in the air for months, others were old news within a day. Harry was sure he would never understand it, but he neither questioned nor complained, as he was glad he and Draco weren't being put in the spotlight quite as much as the first day.

The conversations around Harry continued on, and while Ron and Hermione bickered about when they should start their homework given that day, and why it was they were given it, Harry ate in a pensive silence, thinking about what he and Draco should start training with that evening.

Just before Harry had reached the Great Hall, Draco nudged his leg, and jerked his head the way they'd come, asking for silent permission to wander off. Harry raised his eyebrows in response, and knelt down next to the fox. "Since when do you ask me for permission for anything?" he muttered in an amused tone, and Draco glared back. Harry chuckled, and scratched the animal's ears, to which Draco looked reluctantly pleased. "Yeah, you can wander around; go have yourself a grand old time. You should know the castle well enough by now. Meet me at the room of requirement later, okay? We can start on some of those new spells." He grinned, and then stood up, shooing Draco away with a wave of his hand. Draco trotted off to do Merlin knows what, and Harry walked into the Great Hall, which is where he found himself now, still staring absently into space.

"Harry?"

Harry blinked, bringing himself back to the moment, before turning to face the person gently tugging on his arm. It was Ginny. "Yeah?" he responded, wondering at the look of slight adoration in her eyes as she leaned towards him. It was a look that instantly made him wary, because he realized that he had given her similar looks last year, when he thought she was what, or who, he wanted. After the events of last year, though, and after a summer to think about it, (not to mention the influence of Draco on his mind) he realized that he loved her…as a sister. But in light of this new discovery, he had forgotten that she might not feel the same. So it was with slight trepidation and a nervous swallow that he listened to what she had to say.

"I missed you over the summer. So sorry we couldn't talk to you…I bet you were terribly lonely."

A mix of emotions crossed Harry's mind at those words. Lonely? Of course he'd been lonely! Not to mention abused, starved, and hated as always! But then…then Draco had come along and somehow turned everything around. After that, he hadn't been lonely. No, that had been the best summer of his life, and yet Ginny just assumed that without her, he was miserable. Taking a deep breath, Harry forcefully calmed himself. He was getting so indignant with his friends lately, and he really needed to stop that. What's done is done, and they had given their explanation for lack of communication over the summer. There was no point whining about it now. Besides, he would always have Draco…and the thought of the animagus brought a small smile to his face; a smile that Ginny seemed to misinterpret.

"Of course, you're here with us now, so everything's better, right?"

Was she really so naïve?

"And I was wondering, well…maybe you would like to…" A blush was spreading across her freckled face as she directed her gaze to her lap.

'_Please say she isn't going to do what I think she is…_' But she didn't know otherwise.

"Would you want to…go on a date with me?"

It felt so _wrong_, Harry mused, and he was acutely aware that everyone around them had heard.

Ron's face immediately brightened, while Hermione looked perplexed as she watched Harry's face closely. Harry was sure he probably had a 'deer-in-the-headlights' expression, and a thought passed somewhere in the back of his mind how maybe that made him look like a mini prongs. It was an irrational thought and he quickly pulled himself back to the present.

"That's wonderful, mate!" Ron exclaimed, not realizing that Harry had not yet given an answer.

Harry blinked at this, and looked down at the girl staring up at him with pleading eyes. He didn't want to hurt her, but how could he avoid it when his heart – was it really his heart? – was set on someone else?

"Ginny, I–"

"I just knew you two were perfect for each other!" Ron continued, not catching the trapped expression on Harry's face. "She's liked you for _years_, you know, and now you really will be like my brother!"

"Ron!" Ginny said fiercely, embarrassed about him revealing just how long she'd had this crush. But she soon forgot about it, and turned back to Harry with a smile. "So, Harry? Do you want to go with me?"

Harry paused, and glanced between the two Weasley siblings and the very similar hopeful expressions. Did she have to ask in front of _everyone_? "I…yeah…" he said with a sigh, wondering why he couldn't simply say _no._ Hermione was looking between the three of them with a curious and thoughtful expression.

* * *

It was strange, the difference between Hogwarts as a human, and Hogwarts as a fox, Draco thought as he trotted happily through the hallways as if he owned the place, much like he had as a human. Only this time the girls, instead of ogling him like an idol, were now cooing at him, much to his chagrin. He passed a group of Hufflepuffs, and one of them made an odd sort of squeal, and they all walked towards him. Draco pressed his ears against his head, and bared his teeth as he skirted around the group, turning into another corridor that led towards the dungeons. He felt like paying a visit to his home of six years. As he walked down there, though, a bit of a different mission came to mind in the form of four students heading towards the Great Hall.

"Stupid Potter," Blaise grumbled as he led the Slytherin group through the darkened hallways. "Thinks he's so great with his new pet." Draco dodged behind a conveniently placed suite of armor, and darted from nook to nook in the hallway after the posse of students he used to lead.

"I think we should teach him _and_ that stupid animal of his a lesson," Pansy added, folding her arms across her chest. "Teach him what happens when he takes _my_ Drakey away."

Draco shuddered at the nickname, and then glared at the girl's back. When the hell was she going to learn that he was not _hers_? He turned from his mental yelling when Goyle spoke. "What did you have in mind?"

Pansy's eyes narrowed, and she tapped her chin in thought. "Something embarrassing, I should think. No less than he deserves. I'm tired of him acting like he's been named king of the wizarding world!"

'_He doesn't act like that at all…'_ Draco thought idly to himself, inwardly cringing as he remembered a time where he once thought the same thing. That was before he really sat down and talked to Harry. Now he still had trouble believing how blind he had been to Harry's attitude about his duty to the world.

Draco was abruptly pulled from his thoughts when Blaise next spoke. "Can you use _imperio_ on a familiar?" he asked thoughtfully.

Pansy's eyes widened as she picked up on Blaise's idea. "Put the fox under imperius?" A wicked grin spread across her face. "A _wonderful_ idea! What better form of humiliation than to have his own lap-dog turn on him?"

Draco had to keep himself from growling at that. '_I am no one's lap-dog!_' he thought indignantly. Then what they were suggesting caught up with him. '_Imperius…? Shit, I have to warn Harry!'_

_

* * *

_

Harry wasn't able to escape the company of his friends until around ten o'clock, when everybody went off to bed. He heaved a heavy sigh of relief when he was finally able to leave what had become a very stifling common room. Ginny had sat next to him on the couch, and far too close for his comfort, and Ron wouldn't stop expressing his excitement over the prospective couple.

When he had expressed that he was tired, and wished to go to bed, Ron followed him up, and Harry had to wait for him to fall asleep before he was able to grab his invisibility cloak and escape Gryffindor tower. After he stepped through the portrait hole, Harry breathed in deeply the open air of the deserted hallways. Night had always been his favorite time to walk around, and tonight was no different as he stepped silently through the corridors.

It only took a few minutes to reach the room, and when he did he found he only had to walk by once before the door appeared. He grabbed the handle and stepped inside, hoping Draco wouldn't be too mad at him for being so late. All thoughts flew from his mind, however, when a silver blur launched through the air, and knocked him flat on his back. Air escaped him in one big whoosh as it was knocked from his lungs, and his glasses were knocked askew. He blinked a couple of times, before focusing on the fast-changing fox pinning him to the floor. "Draco…?" he questioned.

Draco Malfoy, now changed back to a human, sat atop Harry's stomach, and his hands pinned the Gryffindor's shoulders to the ground. "Harry you have to stop them!"

It took a moment for Harry to get over his shock of seeing Draco look so…panicked. He lifted his own hands to Draco's shoulders, squeezing lightly in hopes of calming the blonde. "Calm down, Draco. Stop who? What's going on?"

"The other Slytherins!" he cried. "They're going to- to put the imperius on me!" And suddenly he dropped his upper body and wrapped his arms tight around Harry's chest, once again catching the dark-haired boy off guard.

Harry furrowed his brow as he slowly lifted his hand to Draco's back, running it up and down the boy's spine, noting with a slight frown how tensed he was. After a moment, he said slowly, "Okay, what's the story?"

Draco tensed just a bit more, and it seemed he even stopped breathing for a moment. "Wh-what story?"

Harry rolled his eyes slightly. "Don't play dumb, it doesn't suit you. You wouldn't be this afraid of a curse for no reason. Now why does it bother you so much?"

Draco sighed heavily, and when he lifted his head there was a small smile on his face. "Didn't I tell you to stop doing that?" Then he shook his head, and flushed suddenly as he noticed the position he had Harry in. He quickly stood up, and offered Harry a hand up as well before leading them both to the couch. Two cups of tea appeared on the table before them, and Draco took one appreciatively.

Sipping his own tea, Harry waited patiently for Draco to begin, watching as the boy seemed to get lost in his own thoughts.

"I've always been a bit too free-spirited for my father, you know," Draco began lightly, conversationally, as if they were simply talking about the weather, and Harry wondered just how much emotion he was repressing within that calm expression. "When I was little, I was curious about simply _everything_." He paused, and chuckled at a memory. "One time I irritated father so much with my questions he actually cried out and tugged his hair in frustration in public! First – and last – time he ever lost his composure like that." A frown then overtook Draco's features, and his eyes seemed to darken with his mood. "I was punished for it, of course. I believe I was nine at the time."

"My mother, for the longest time, held father back from doing anything. She told him it was just a stage, that all little boys are curious about their world, and that I would learn the importance of obedience, and our family name." A small, sardonic smile worked its way to Draco's lips. "Do recall that I said father was kindly when I was younger. But it was about this time that the rumors began."

Harry couldn't help himself as he cut in. "Rumors?"

Draco's eyes snapped to him, as if just noticing his presence. He nodded before turning away again, sipping absently from his tea. "Yes, rumors of the Dark Lord's return. Of course it would still be many years, as we now know, but that was when it all started. Father, he- well, he panicked I guess. He wanted to make sure that our family would be put right back into the bastard's top-most ranks, and he wanted to be absolutely certain that I would follow in his footsteps."

There was a long pause as Draco stopped, and seemed to be gathering his thoughts. When he spoke again, it sounded to Harry as if the tone had become self-loathing. "Merlin, I was so _naïve_. I always wanted to please my father, I mean, who doesn't want their parents to love them? So I tried, I really did, but I tried in my own way. Unfortunately, this wasn't the way father wanted. He became impatient with me, and my apparent lack of the ability to follow the family's traditions and values to his standard. That was when I first learned what the imperius curse was."

Harry gasped, and stared wide-eyed at Draco. "He didn't…"

"He did."

"On his own son?"

"You'd be surprised what is done in the name of reputation, Potter. Your relatives were like this in a way, were they not? It's obvious, their desire to impress others, and keep a reputable social standing."

Slowly, Harry nodded, realizing this was very much true. "So what…what did Lucius do…?" The question was hesitant, as he was afraid to bring up the subject the wrong way.

"It wasn't anything terrible, really. He simply…made me act as he expected me to act. I believe he called it 'force training.'"

Harry's eyes narrowed at that. "Any manipulation like that is terrible," he argued, not quite able to believe a man would cast an unforgivable on his own _son_ just to project an image.

Draco's lips quirked slightly, as if he was going to smile, but changed his mind. "I say it wasn't terrible, because it's what happened _after_ that's the worst part."

Suddenly Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know, and watched Draco attentively as he spoke.

The blonde sank a bit into the cushions of the couch, staring into the fireplace before them. "It was worse, because I _became_ that projected image. I learned what was expected of me, and fell into that role. After a year, he let up on the curse, but I was punished dearly if I deviated from his forced behavior. Once he even locked me in the dungeons for a day for disrespecting a guest at one of his _exalted_ parties." He hesitated for a moment, and locked gazes with Harry. "That was the me that you met. The image of perfection in my father's eyes. It wasn't until a few years later that I began to see just how _wrong_ everything in my life was."

Harry shook his head slowly, as if not quite believing the other boy's words. "That's terrible," he muttered finally. "But, you know you're going to have to face it again. If the other Slytherins really do intend to cast the curse on you, then we have to teach you how to resist it."

Draco gulped, and looked a little nervous at the prospect. He took a deep breath, and admitted something he was sure he never would have said out loud before he befriended Harry. "And…what if I can't? That very curse _changed_ who I was! I'm…scared…" he trailed off, hating himself for even saying it, and yet knowing it was true. He hadn't been able to resist before, so how would he be able to now?

"Draco," Harry whispered, and Draco jumped when he realized Harry had scooted closer. He took the blonde's face into his hands, and ran his thumbs lightly over the smooth, pale cheeks. "You're not the same child you were. You've grown up now, you know _who_ you are, and you know what it is that _you_ want. No one's going to take that away from you now. When that happened before, you just wanted to please your father, so in a way you subconsciously allowed yourself to be controlled, since you knew that was what your father wanted. But now," He paused, patted Draco's cheeks lightly, and sat back with a smile, "But now you're here to please yourself."

"Besides," Harry turned his face away, obscuring the blush spreading over his cheeks. "You know I'm not going to hurt you."

Draco smiled a bit at that, and, trying to get rid of the atmosphere that had settled around them, said, "Oh no, you're _far_ too noble for that."

Harry rolled his eyes and wrinkled his nose a bit at the comment. "Yeah, whatever. At least this will make it sort of a fair trade. You teach me occlumency, and I teach you to resist imperious."

Tilting his head slightly to the side, Draco made a sound of surprised amusement. "Funny when you think about it, the two are practically the same, and yet each of us can only do one."

"I guess they're just different enough, then." Finishing the last of his tea, Harry stood up and stretched before walking behind the couch. "Come on, let's get started, so we can go to bed at a somewhat decent hour." And then he disappeared into the training room, with Draco not far behind.

* * *

The start of resisting the imperius training definitely did not work out so well for Draco. After they deemed it safe to cast the curse, (as Harry was doing it wandlessly, under the protection of the room of requirement) they started the training, and Harry was a bit disappointed at how easy it was to control the Slytherin through the spell. He cast it three times, never making the blonde do anything worse than a back flip, before he stopped and sighed, removing the spell. "Draco, you're not even trying."

The frustration in the gray eyes was evident when Draco turned to glare at him. "I am!" he countered, wrapping his arms around his stomach in a slightly defensive gesture as he turned around. "I just…can't."

Harry smiled a bit sadly. "I didn't know it was like you to show such weakness."

Draco's eyes narrowed and he looked at Harry over his shoulder. "You said I had nothing to prove to you."

Harry blinked in surprise, and it took him a moment to gather a response. He didn't know Draco had taken those words to heart like that. Did his opinions really mean that much? "Of course you don't. I wasn't telling you to do this for me. Resisting this curse is for your own safety, and I _know_ you're capable, Draco. It's just…you're letting your memories get in the way. They're taking over your mind and making you powerless to resist. You have to look past that. It takes sheer power of will to throw off this curse. You have to _want_ it to go away." And then Harry got an idea, and grinned slightly as he said firmly, "_Imperio_!"

Almost immediately, Draco's eyes glazed over, and his mind fell into the gentle haze of the imperius curse. And then the words of Harry's command echoed into his mind. '_Kill me.'_ If Draco had had control over his body at the moment, his eyes would've been wide as saucers. _**What?**_

'_Go on,'_ Harry's voice continued. '_Strangle me.'_

Draco took a step towards Harry. _**But I…**_

'_Do it, Draco.'_

A few more steps and now Draco stood right in front of Harry. Harry looked up determinedly into Draco's misted eyes, and raised an eyebrow as a challenge.

'_What are you waiting for, Dragon? Kill me.'_

Draco's hands moved, and wrapped lightly around Harry's neck. _**I don't want to…**_

'_Now, Draco!'_

"**NO!**" Draco suddenly shouted, and released Harry's neck, only to throw his arms around the smaller boy's shoulders. He was trembling slightly, and Harry smiled as he wrapped his arms around Draco's waist.

"See? I told you you could do it."

Draco took a deep breath, and Harry smiled as it tickled his neck when he let it back out. "You are fucked up, Potter," he finally whispered.

"I was hoping that would be strong enough."

Draco pulled away, and took a step back, looking at Harry curiously. "What do you mean?"

Harry shrugged, and rubbed the back of his neck absently. "Well, you weren't fighting it at all. I needed something that would make you _want_ to fight it."

Slowly, Draco shook his head. "And if I hadn't stopped?"

"Then I would know you didn't really care." He smiled at Draco then, and the blonde looked away as he felt a small blush trying to work its way to his cheeks. Then his brow furrowed slightly.

"You called me Dragon."

Harry laughed at the perplexed tone in Draco's voice. "Yeah, sorry about that. Just sort of came out there."

Draco shook his head in amusement. "Right, well, I think that's enough of that for one night. Shall we try a bit of occlumency before we head off to bed?"

Harry agreed, still smiling at the pride in Draco's eyes at his accomplishment. He didn't say anything, but Harry could tell he was happy he'd made progress. Now if only he could do the same thing, it would be a very productive night.

* * *

Unfortunately, it ended up not quite as productive as Harry had hoped, but he still made more progress than he had with Snape. At first Harry hadn't been able to block anything at all, and he was forced to relive memories of his entire first and second year, as Draco saw them for the first time. When Draco finally let up on the legilimens spell, he only sat for a moment and stared at Harry with something akin to a begrudging awe. "No wonder you're never afraid. You've already faced such things…and so young…"

Harry smiled a bit at that. "That's not the worst of them."

Draco looked up sharply, and seemed to war with himself for a moment. He opened his mouth once, twice, then finally decided to speak. "Would you mind if I-…I mean, do you think I could-…" He stopped and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Never mind."

There was silence for a moment as Harry stared at Draco curiously. Then it dawned on him what the other boy was trying to ask. "You…want to see the rest of the memories?"

Draco quickly denied this. "No, it's intrusive, rude, I won't do that."

"It's not intrusive if I give you permission," Harry said with an amused smile playing at his lips.

Draco looked rather confused at that. "You would let me?"

Harry shrugged and looked off to the side. "What better way to understand me than to know what I've been through?" he asked rhetorically, knowing that offering this was a rather huge leap into their friendship. But, he couldn't help it really, not with that genuinely curious look in those grey eyes. Before he might have thought Draco would only want to see into his mind to tease him, but things were different now.

There was a slight shuffling sound as Draco moved closer. "You're sure?" he asked with slightly raised eyebrows.

Harry smiled, and nodded once. "Believe it or not, I trust you."

For a moment, Draco looked as if he didn't quite know how to handle that, and ended up just smiling and shaking his head. Then he lifted his hands, and rested his fingertips at Harry's temples. At the dark-haired teen's confused glance, he said, "It's a better connection this way." Harry nodded and locked gazes with Draco, allowing the searching grey eyes to look through his memories, from childhood up to this summer. He saw every year, every trial, and every bit of pain that Harry went through.

It took several minutes, but when Draco was finished, he sat back with a gasp, and Harry grunted and slumped forward. Draco quickly caught him, and they stayed in that position for a moment as each regained his bearings. Finally, Draco said quietly, "You seem to have a lot more bad memories than good ones…"

Harry laughed humorlessly in response. "You get used to it after a while."

Draco tightened his hold just a bit. "You shouldn't have to."

"It doesn't matter. You've got your own painful past to deal with; you don't have to pity me for mine."

Draco smiled at that, and ruffled the mussed black hair. "So I do, but it seems you've dealt with more than I have."

"Hn." Harry let his body relax completely so that his head rested in Draco's lap, and yawned widely.

"Sleepy?" Draco asked in amusement.

"You aren't?"

"I am."

"Then why aren't we asleep?"

Draco lifted an eyebrow. "Because you were supposed to be learning occlumency?"

"Oh yeah…" Harry groaned. "That didn't work too well, did it?"

Draco chuckled in response. "No, it didn't. We'll keep working at it though. You'll get it eventually." Harry nodded, and then went still, and Draco wondered if Harry was already falling asleep. "Come on, let's go back to your dorms."

Harry made a noise of agreement, then without moving his head, said pitifully, "Carry me?"

Draco blinked, then laughed out loud. "What are you, two? I can't carry you…I'm not supposed to be here, remember?"

Harry's brow furrowed for a second. "Oh yeah…then let's sleep here, I don't want to move."

Shaking his head, Draco sighed and stood up, dragging Harry with him by his upper arms. "Come on you lazy bum, the sooner we get back to the tower, the sooner you can get to sleep."

Harry sighed heavily, as if Draco was asking him to perform some excruciatingly tiresome task, and walked towards the door. "Yeah, yeah, I'm going." And when he opened the door to the room of requirement, a silver fox darted out in front of him, and trotted down the hallway, turning back as if to mock Harry for his slowness. Harry rolled his eyes and followed, sighing in contentment when he finally did reach his bed. Just before he fell asleep, he found himself wondering why it had been so easy to simply show Draco all of his memories. Usually he hated people entering his mind, but that hadn't been so bad. They really had become close lately, he mused, and fell asleep with a smile as Draco took up the spot next to him.

* * *

The next day the boys were forced to skip any sort of training when they were given a couple more assignments, so they decided to make every other day a study day, and to train on the days in between. The schedule got thrown off occasionally, though, as Harry's friends expressed worry about him, and he was made to sit and do homework with them. On those days Draco would take his assignments to the room of requirement and complete them on his own: something for which Harry felt extremely guilty.

The most persistent problem Harry found in the next few weeks though was, unfortunately, his best friend's sister. She had designated their date day to be on the first Hogsmeade weekend, which was only a month and a half into the year. As of now it had been one month since school started up again.

The worst of it all though, to Harry, was Draco's reactions to Ginny's persistent closeness. Harry didn't like the looks Draco gave them both when Ginny sat close to him – sometimes even in his lap – or when she would play with his hair or bat her eyelashes at him. Draco had stopped snapping at Ginny, realizing Harry seemed to be accepting the behavior, and Harry wanted to ask him about it. He didn't want to hurt Ginny, but now he felt like he was straining what little relationship he had with Draco. He knew there was something there, but he didn't know how far it went, and he really had no idea what Draco felt for him, and whether he liked him or not. He wanted to find out, but now he only felt like he was pushing Draco away, and it amazed him just how much that thought hurt. Harry wished he could just push it all away, and ignore the issue completely, but unfortunately, that was just the topic that had come up tonight.

Draco had led them to, instead of the room of requirement, a secluded spot on the other side of the Great Lake from the castle, hidden in a small grove of trees. There were only a few clouds out in the now darkened sky, and the stars were starting to show one by one as both boys lay on their backs in the cool grass. The silence was suddenly broken though by Draco's resentful tone. "So you like the she-weasel?"

Harry's brow furrowed in slight annoyance. "Draco…" he admonished, but the bite was barely there.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Fine, you like _her_ then?" He put a mocking emphasis on 'her' that made it almost as much of an insult as his first name for her.

Giving up the defense for the moment, Harry sighed. "Not the way she likes me…" He rolled over onto his side towards Draco, pillowing his head with his right arm, while picking at random blades of grass with the left. "I mean, I think I used to once, but now she's as much a sister to me as Ron is a brother, but _she_ still loves _me_, and I don't want to hurt her!"

"Harry…you can't go through life without hurting _anyone_. I know it's in your nature to protect everyone around you, but the longer you let her live these delusions, the more it's going to hurt when you tell her the truth."

Harry blinked at the insightful words from the Slytherin, who seemed to be contemplating the stars in the sky, rather than the conversation at hand. "I feel like I've been pushing you away too," Harry whispered after a moment, and Draco looked at him with sharp eyes, giving Harry the strange feeling of being completely analyzed.

"And why would you think that, Harry?" Draco whispered. And then in a sudden movement, the blonde was pinning Harry's arms to the ground on each side of his head, and was sitting on folded knees beside Harry's waist. His head hovered about a foot above Harry's, and the Gryffindor swallowed with sudden nervousness, and his heart thudded quickly in his chest from the proximity.

"Draco…?"

"I think I know now why you haven't been doing as well with occlumency as you should be. You've been distracted with this issue with the Weaslette."

Harry gave up trying to correct the taller boy's insults. Besides, he was far too distracted at the moment to pay attention to such petty things. "But, I've gotten better!" he protested, but he saw Draco's point. With his current magic levels, he should have gotten the hang of it long ago.

Draco saw the recognition in Harry's green eyes, and decided not to press the fact that he was not up to par with that certain ability. "Sometimes…I think you care too much, Harry," Draco said with a slight smile. "You can't keep up this charade if your heart isn't in it. She's going to see the truth sooner or later, and I'm sure you don't want it to be later when you're off snogging someone else."

With a blush at Draco's words, Harry turned his head to the side, glaring slightly at the unoffending grass. He knew Draco could've chosen better words than that, but the git was obviously trying to make a point. Harry sighed and turned his face upwards again, surprised when Draco's was closer to his own than it had been a few seconds ago.

"Maybe I've been distant because I'm jealous." It was such a low whisper that Harry wasn't quite sure he heard it right.

"What?" he whispered back, eyes wide as they looked into Draco's suddenly intense gaze.

Draco inched closer, and a thrill traveled through his body as their breaths mingled in the cool night air. Harry's eyes slid shut as he anticipated the touch of Draco's lips on his own. The world around them faded from view…until it was forcefully brought to their attention again with the same force as the whomping willow on a bad day with a shouted "Harry!" and a curse that knocked Draco a full six feet away.

Harry suddenly sat bolt upright in surprise at Draco's shout of pain, and whirled on their attackers, casting a quick stunning spell before he even registered the fact that it was his two best friends and Ginny that were the assaulters. He took a moment to stare wide-eyed before the situation caught up with him. "What are you doing?" he shouted, quite forgetting for a moment that no one else knew of Draco's allegiances.

Hermione cast a quick counter-spell on Ron, who had been stunned by Harry's reflexive attack, and the redhead stood up, looking both surprised and furious at the same time. "We're saving you, what does it look like?" he asked in a voice a bit higher pitched than usual.

"Bloody _hell_, Weasel, did you have to use the fucking _sectumsumptra_?" Draco suddenly yelled from behind Harry, and the Gryffindor spun around in surprise.

"What?" He took in the sight of Draco, who was grasping his right shoulder tightly, and there was blood seeping from between his fingers. His jaw was clenched in an expression of pain, and his eyes flashed with anger. "Shit…" Harry muttered, and dashed over to him. "Move your hand," he whispered, and as Draco did so, Harry brought his own hands up to cover the wound.

"Harry…what are you doing?" Ginny asked from her spot slightly behind Ron. The youngest male Weasley was too shocked to move.

Harry turned to look over his shoulder with a snarl. "I'm _healing _him, so be quiet!" He then turned his attention forward again, and closed his eyes, concentrating his magic into his hands, and willing the fresh wound to close. Draco hissed as the magic passed over him, and repaired the damage to his shoulder, causing Harry to look up in surprise. "Does it hurt?" he whispered.

Draco responded with a glare. "No, it tickles. Of course it bloody hurts!" he cried, though he let out a sigh of relief as the pain finally subsided, and Harry squeezed his shoulder gently. "That's twice I've been subjected to this curse by you and your friends now," he muttered, though there was no malice in the words.

Harry looked down guiltily. "Draco I'm—"

Draco held up a hand, and gave Harry a quick smile. "Forgive and forget, remember?"

Harry smiled back, and nodded. "Yeah…" Then his face turned serious, and Harry turned around, standing up to face his friends.

"How did you find us?" he asked, standing between Draco and the Gryffindors, and Hermione was surprised to note the very defensive position Harry had taken.

Ron reached into his pocket, and pulled out the Marauder's map, and Harry's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing at the object. "Ron, _why_ do you have my map?"

"What's a map got to do with anything?" Draco asked from behind Harry, but he was ignored for the moment, much to his annoyance.

It was Ginny that answered. "We were worried, Harry!"

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Worried? What for? I stay out every night!"

Hermione cut in for the first time, and her voice sounded almost afraid. "You were out later tonight, Harry, and, well…Ginny was, well you disappear every night and she…"

The bushy haired girl didn't seem to be able to finish, and it dawned on Harry what she was trying to say. "So that gives you permission to spy on me?" There was an edge to his tone that belied the rising of a temper Harry's friends knew all too well.

"Well what did you want us to think?" Ginny asked, stepping forward with her arms crossed.

"Nothing! Yet you accuse me some sort of midnight liaisons?" Harry countered. "I fail to see how it's any of your business anyway!"

"But Harry we have–!"

"–A date, Gin, _just_ a date. I'm not your boyfriend, I'm not bound to you, and I wanted to break it to you better than this, but it seems I've been given no choice."

As everyone watched the argument between Harry and Ginny, Draco summoned the map from Ron's hands. The redhead let out a shout of protest that went ignored by the Slytherin, who was staring at the object with wide eyes. "Harry?"

"_What_?" Harry replied, far harsher than he'd intended.

Draco walked up, and smacked Harry in the back of the head, quite effectively derailing his temper. "What was that for?" Harry cried indignantly, clutching the back of his head on instinct.

"Idiot!" Draco replied as explanation. "You left a map that so obviously tells _who_ and _where_ we are to be found by anyone? Do you know _nothing_ about being inconspicuous?" He brandished the map in front of him to emphasize his point.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny grew quiet in surprise as suddenly Harry was being chastised by, whom they knew to be, his archrival.

"I didn't leave it to be found by anyone, it was in a box at the bottom of my trunk!" At this Harry leveled an accusatory stare on his friends. "And _some_ people seem to have no respect for their friend's privacy."

"Well what were we supposed to think, Harry?" Hermione chimed in, sounding a little distressed. "Especially when we saw you with Malfoy way out here by the lake. We thought he'd somehow captured you and was taking you away or something!"

"So what's he doing here, Harry?" Ron growled, again raising his wand, and pointing it at Draco.

Harry stepped sideways so that he was in the direct path of the offending wand instead, and crossed his arms. Behind him, Draco smirked at Ron, and rested his arm on Harry's shoulder. Harry rolled his eyes at Draco's behavior, but did nothing to stop it. "What he's doing here…is hiding," Harry answered Ron's question. "And _not one_ of you," he stared at each of them pointedly, "Is going to say anything about seeing him here."

"But…he's a Death Eater!" Ron cried.

"By force." Was Harry's quick response.

"He killed Dumbledore!"

"Draco is innocent, Ron. There are a lot of complications to the situation I don't feel like explaining at the moment, but I promise Draco isn't here to harm anyone. Now put the wand _down._"

"Since when is he 'Draco'?" Ginny asked, looking quite put out, which Harry guessed was understandable considering he'd kind of just dumped her. Sort of.

"Since this summer, when he and I became friends."

Three jaws dropped in surprise, and Harry heard Draco snicker behind him at the gob-smacked expressions.

There was a long pause, in which Harry silently challenged his friends to say anything about his new friendship. It was Hermione who finally broke that silence. "He's been here all this time, hasn't he? That's Arabel's collar."

Draco tilted his head slightly back, and smirked. "Very astute, Granger. At least one of you can add two and two."

"Draco…" Harry warned quietly.

Ron's face took on an expression of vague disgust. "You mean all this time…every time he was in your _lap_, and he _slept_ with you?" The male Weasley didn't seem to be able to even finish his own thoughts.

Harry blushed, but nodded anyway. "Yes, it was him."

"Yes, and you've all quite rudely interrupted me," Draco drawled, narrowing his eyes. "So if we're done here I think I'm going to go back inside now." He handed the map to Harry, and changed back into the fox form as he walked back towards the castle, snapping at Ron's ankles with a growl as he passed him. Ron kicked out as a reflex, but Draco easily dodged it, and trotted back to the school. None of those left outside spoke until Draco disappeared into the doors of the castle.

Harry sighed heavily, looking back longingly at the castle without even realizing it. Had Draco really been about to do what he thought he had? Had they really been about to kiss? Harry felt his cheeks heat up just thinking about it, and dearly wished his friends had not shown up when they had.

"I'm going to go back also," Ginny suddenly whispered. She refused to make eye contact with anyone as she turned around and trudged back, following the path Draco had taken not too long before.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you Harry?" Ron asked, his blue eyes narrowing into a glare at his best friend.

Harry flinched unnoticeably. He had told Draco that Ron would flip, but at this point he hadn't actually planned on telling him until much later. He wasn't ready to deal with this, not with the stress of his emotions running as high as they were. Now at least Ginny knew of his feelings, but definitely not the way he had intended. Draco had been right when he said that Harry should've just told her. "Nothing is wrong with me Ron," he finally answered.

"_Friends_ with _Malfoy_?" he asked incredulously, to which Harry just shrugged. His thoughts had apparently gone back into the school with Draco.

"Please tell me there's a very good reason for this, Harry," Hermione said, and Harry looked up at her before smiling.

"Ah, Hermione, I can always count on you. Of course there's a good reason." He paused for a moment, and then said, "He needed help."

Hermione and Ron both waited for a moment for an explanation, but it soon became apparent that none was forthcoming. "With what?" she asked, sounding genuinely curious.

Harry turned his gaze to the lake, and decided on what he should tell them, and what he shouldn't. Obviously some sort of explanation was needed; he supposed he did owe them one, after all. "I ran across him this summer, and…well, he was in no position to defend himself. He's…not the person I thought he was," Harry finally said.

Ron snorted in disbelief. "Looked like the same stuck up, poncy git to me."

Harry sighed, knowing that was true. After all, Draco said he wasn't going to change for anyone. "He is, but he's also more than that. I know you're not going to believe me if I try to explain, so I'm not going to. Just know that he's here because he's not safe out there, and I don't want to see _either _of you antagonizing him." He stared at Ron mostly as he said this, and the redhead seemed to puff up with annoyance.

"So what, you're just going to give up our friendship for _him_?"

"I don't intend to give up anything, Ron. We've gotten along just fine the past month, haven't we?"

"Well yeah, but I didn't know _he_ was around!"

"Nothing has changed!" Harry cried, extending his hands outward as if to emphasize his words.

"He's the enemy!" Ron countered, obviously trying to make Harry see reason.

Harry paused for a moment, and his expression turned contemplative. "He's never been the enemy, Ron," he finally said softly, and both of his friends looked up in surprise. "His father is the enemy…Voldemort is the enemy…but not Draco." Thoughts of Draco's story passed through his mind, and how his behavior had been forced by imperius. No, the enemy was definitely not Draco.

Hermione decided to join in on the conversation as well. "I'd rather like to know the rest of this story," she said, true to her nature and looking at everything objectively.

Harry gave her a small smile before saying, "It's not my story to tell. Draco would probably kill me if he found out I went around blabbing his life story to anyone else," he chuckled.

Ron grunted his disagreement, and muttered, "He'll kill you anyway."

Harry's gaze turned sharply to his friend, and he said in a suddenly harsh, but assured voice, "He won't."

"What makes you so sure this isn't a trap, Harry?" Ron asked.

Harry raised an eyebrow at that in a good impression of Draco's own trademark expression. "A three month trap?" He shook his head. "No, it's no trap. Just…trust me?" he turned pleading eyes to the two in front of him, and both looked a little hesitant.

Hermione looked as if she were weighing the pros and cons of something, while Ron crossed his arms in defiance. "Harshly dumping my sister, taking Malfoy in and calling him a friend…not until I know you haven't been put under some sort of curse," he said, and whirled around to follow Draco and Ginny's path back to the castle.

Harry groaned and put his head in his hand. "That could've gone better…" he mumbled, and Hermione smiled sympathetically.

"Actually, given the circumstances, I'm not sure it could have." She walked up and placed her hand on Harry's shoulder, squeezing it once in reassurance. "I'm not going to pretend to like the fact that Malfoy has been hanging around Gryffindor tower, or that he's around us at all, but I will trust you to know what you're doing. And, well, you know how Ron is. He'll come around eventually."

With a nod and a smile, Harry thanked Hermione for her support, and decided to go back into the castle to make sure Ron and Ginny wouldn't tell anyone about Malfoy being there. Hermione followed behind, wondering about the scene her, Ron and Ginny had walked in on. She was sure the two Weasleys hadn't noticed, but to her it definitely had not looked as if the two boys were fighting.

* * *

Ginny walked through the hallways, desperately trying not to let the tears threatening behind her eyelids fall. She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes, sniffling, and muttering under her breath. "So stupid…should've known. Stupid Malfoy, probably controlling Harry somehow…he has to be! Me and Harry were made for each other, he's just…just being controlled…" She continued muttering as she made her way to the tower, completely missing the narrowed eyes that followed her as she passed by unaware.

'_Draco is here…?'_

_

* * *

_

Yay, finally chapter 7! I'm evil aren't I? Hehe, left it as a cliffie…but I got a plot going in here I hadn't intended at all. I literally don't write this story…it totally writes itself. (I had these notes written at the top for what I wanted to happen, and it _still_ didn't happen that way. I don't think I put any of the pre-planned events in, lol. That's what happens when I give myself time to actually think about it, I guess.)

Anyway, as usual, tell me what you thought. I read over this a few times, so there should be minimal grammar mistakes at least. Only a few chapters left, I should think, but I'll see how that works out as I go along.


	8. That Strange Feeling

Sorry for the wait! ::sobs:: I have failed you! It's gotten to the part of the story that I didn't have planned out before hand, so writing is a bit…slower. Be patient with me, lovelies!

And also, a little shout out for Redkitty-cat, who would like her story "The Heart of a Darslave" to be known to the world. It does seem an interesting story.

- - - - - - - - HP - - - - - - - -

**Chapter 8: That Strange Feeling**

**- - - - - - - - **DM - - - - - - - - **  
**

"You really think Draco is _here_?"

"That _is_ what I just said, isn't it?"

"Yes, but, just because the Weaslette _mentioned_ his name? I'm just saying I don't think it's enough to go off of."

Pansy Parkinson sighed, and tucked her hair behind her ear. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling as if in a silent prayer for patience before turning to face Blaise again. "Blaise, babe, have you lost your Slytherin instincts? Keep ears and eyes open always, and don't discount the little things. Why would she bother mentioning him if he wasn't even here? Her words were, and I quote, '_Stupid Malfoy, probably controlling Harry somehow.'_ Does that sound like a normal thing to say to you?"

Blaise stopped his pacing in front of the fireplace of the Slytherin common room, and sat down next to Pansy on one of the couches. "But if that's true, then that means Draco would've had to have close contact with Potter, and recently too, as this didn't seem to be an issue before."

Pansy smiled slightly, waiting for Blaise to get to the same train of thought she was on. She knew it wouldn't take long.

"You don't think….but why would he be…?"

"Have you tried the imperius on the fox yet?"

Blaise's brow furrowed. "No, not yet," he said with a frown, and rested his elbows on his knees. "You really think Draco is Potter's new _fox_?"

"Well it's the only thing that really makes sense, isn't it? Draco disappears over the summer, and now Potter suddenly comes back with this animal…"

"It could be coincidence."

"It could be. And that's why I think we should watch him…both of them. The Weasel girl might be on to something, and I'm just saying I don't want to rule out the possibility."

Blaise frowned, and his eyes narrowed. "On to something? If anything I think it might be the other way around. Draco would never _willingly_ become Potter's _dog_! He's much too proud for that."

Pansy sighed, and turned her gaze onto one of the lanterns on the wall, watching the green flame flicker as she thought. "You know, I always have wondered if Draco is everything he says to be. We weren't together that much when we were kids, but I would see him occasionally, and I remember him being…different. He was a happier child. And sometimes I think I see that behind the emotionless mask he shows to the world. Blaise, what if he really _is_ willingly with Potter?"

"Stop that Pansy," Blaise admonished, his own hands clenched into fists atop his knees. "Draco is a Malfoy through and through, and one of the things that entails is to _never_ turn his back on his family. Or the Dark Lord. Maybe he's just getting Potter to trust him so that he can take him to the Dark Lord, to make up for the failure of his last task."

"I hope you're right Blaise. But we _are_ going to keep watch on them, of course?"

"Of course," Blaise agreed, and both fell into silence as they planned ways to spy on Potter, and get their undisputed leader of Slytherin House back.

- - - HD - - -

When Harry and Hermione arrived back at the Gryffindor common room, it was to a rather…interesting sight, for sure. Since it was so late, no one was in the common room except for two people.

Hermione let out an involuntary giggle, and Harry felt a smile tugging at his own lips when they saw Ron. He was sitting in one of the poofy armchairs near the fire, and was slouching into the cushions with his arms crossed over his chest. His lower lip stuck out slightly as he glared at the fox lounging lazily on the couch across the way, watching him with narrowed eyes. Ron was quite obviously pouting.

Suddenly Draco growled, and barked at Ron. Ron, in turn threw a glare at the fox, and stood up to walk towards his two friends. His arms were still crossed, and his posture simply screamed 'shamed and defensive.' He wouldn't quite meet Harry's eyes as he stopped in front of him. There was a moment's pause before he muttered, "Sorry."

Harry's eyebrows rose in surprise. "What? I mean, you…you're not mad…still?"

Ron raised a hand to the back of his neck, and looked up with an embarrassed grin on his face. "I've…been convinced. Sorry for blowing up at you like that, Harry. But come on, you know you can't just spring things on me like that!" he cried in an attempt at a bit of redeeming humor.

Harry smirked a bit. "I didn't 'spring' anything on anyone…considering I was pretty far away from the school," Harry countered, still slightly annoyed at the interrupted kiss, but decided he didn't want to bring back up an argument that was somehow ending so quickly, so he continued on before Ron had a chance to respond. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

Ron blinked and glanced quickly at Draco, who cocked his head as if to say 'well?' Ron coughed and turned back to Harry. "Malfoy…can be convincing, when he wants to be."

- - - - - A little earlier - - - - - -

Draco was pacing the Gryffindor common room, hands clasped behind his back, and muttering angrily under his breath. The room was empty, as it was past midnight by this time, and everyone else was upstairs sleeping. He growled as he again changed directions. "If anybody has ever had _worse_ timing!" he huffed, and his mind continued working a mile a minute. He had been about to kiss Harry. Harry hadn't pushed him away. True to his promise to himself, he had been noting Harry's behavior, and evaluating his feelings. He was almost a hundred percent positive that Harry returned the emotions that had been plaguing the blonde since the end of their first month into the summer – when he had still been a ferret. And there was little room to doubt when Harry had let Draco look into his memories.

Before this summer, he had always thought Harry to be a completely open person, but he had quickly found out this was not the case. In fact it seemed almost entirely opposite. Of course he had always been a terrible liar, and often wore his heart on his sleeve, but there were many things that Harry kept hidden behind the happiness he displayed to the world.

Draco smiled affectionately when he thought of that, and amusedly realized that the public personas each of them wore were completely opposite. Draco's own implied an intimidating aristocrat you would not want to mess with lest you face dire consequences. Harry, on the other hand, showed a sort of happiness he didn't always posses.

The annoyed Slytherin's musings were soon cut short as the portrait hole opened, and Draco found the perfect victim to take out his frustrations on. _Not that the he doesn't deserve it_, he thought as he paced towards Ron.

Ron, to his credit, looked a bit afraid as the blonde strode in his direction, grey eyes flashing in the moonlight. Draco fisted his hand in the front of Ron's robes, and sneered as he pushed him against the door he had just closed. "Don't tell me," he ground out, eyes narrowing as he took in Ron's angry and hurt expression, and the red tint to his cheeks, "you walked out on him."

Ron blinked in surprise, before throwing his own sour expression to Draco. "What are you talking about, ferret?"

Draco growled, and thumped Ron against the wall once for good measure. "You came back without the other three. I'm just venturing a guess that you've started a pointless argument with Harry because of me, and now you've gone and botched up your friendship."

"What do you care what I do with _my_ friends Malfoy?" Ron asked, a little unnerved at Draco's deductive skills.

Draco's eyes narrowed further, and Ron was sure he had never seen a more menacing expression on the boy's face. "_Idiot_," Draco hissed, sounding very much like the snake he was. "Considering what Harry has become to me, I care very _much_ what you do to him. Especially knowing that a fight with you is just going to continue to keep him distracted and he'll never learn what he needs to!" With a heavy sigh of obvious frustration, Draco released Ron's robes, and once again began to pace.

Ron stepped away from the wall, and smoothed his hands over his robes as if to wipe away Draco's touch. He took a moment to figure out which question that sentence had created that he wanted answered first. "What do you mean by, 'what Harry has become to you'?"

Draco stopped walking, and looked up into Ron's inquiring blue eyes. He took a moment before answering, delighting in making Weasley squirm just a bit. "I mean…that he is my friend now, Weasley. Surely you can understand that. Yet at the same time, I mean so much more. But that is not the issue at hand, nor is it for you to know. I'm amazed Harry even puts up with you, you know. I know about your fourth year, when you almost ruined your friendship with Harry completely. And now, have you not learned from past mistakes? Does your friendship with Harry mean so little to you that toss it out the window because you're angry over my _presence_?"

Ron's eyes widened more and more with Draco's speech. "Of course it doesn't mean so little!" he finally responded, indignant at the very thought.

Draco rounded on him then with fire in his eyes. "Well you're doing a damn good job _not_ showing it then!" he snarled, immediately taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Harry has enough troubles in his life as it is. Merlin knows why, but he loves you and the mud- and Granger. He does not need to add to his list of woes that his best friend turned his back on him. If it's me you're worried about, then don't be." He paused for a moment, and caught Ron's eyes in a piercing stare. "In fact it seems at the moment that I care for him far more than you do. There is no spell, no curse, no voodoo, nothing. Ask me under veritaserum if you like, it won't change anything. And I really don't want any more Weasleys distracting from Harry's ability to learn the occlumency he's supposed to be learning, so when he walks back in here, you had better apologize or so help me I will make the rest of your year _miserable_."

Ron opened and closed his mouth several times, never quite getting a sound to come out. He couldn't decide what to say; he was angry at Malfoy's accusations, and presumptuous attitude, but then his words made him stop and think. Did he really care for Harry as he said he did? "Why should I believe you?" he finally asked, voice low with suspicion.

Thinking for a moment how he should answer, Draco let the question hang in the air for a few seconds, and then settled on the simple words, "Because Harry trusts me." He turned towards the window, staring out at the darkened sky. "Frankly, I couldn't care less whether you like me or not, Weasley. I'm just saying, don't get mad at Harry because of your hate for me." His head suddenly turned towards one of the staircases, and he changed almost instantly into the fox, leaving Ron to blink in surprise.

Ron looked towards the stairs as well, and saw a younger year, probably second, peeking around the wall at the edge of the stairs to the girl's dormitories. "Can I help you?" he asked.

The girl blushed and looked down at the floor. "I…I heard noises…and I wanted to make sure that…that…" She stopped her sentence as Draco walked up to her, and nudged her side back towards the dorms. She giggled and patted his head. "You're Harry Potter's fox," she stated unnecessarily. Draco barked once, and nudged her again. She turned obligingly, and started walking back up the stairs.

"Don't worry about it," Ron called after her. "Everything's fine down here." The girl nodded and smiled back at him, petting Draco once more before disappearing back into the darkness.

Ron smiled and shook his head at the girl. Such Gryffindor behavior to walk right towards the source of a disturbance. After the girl was gone, Draco hopped onto one of the couches, and curled up in the corner. Ron sighed, and plopped down on the armchair, staring at Draco calculatingly. All of the Slytherin's words rushed through his mind.

'_Because Harry trusts me.' _

He sighed heavily, sinking lower into the chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "Fine. I don't like you, and I don't quite trust you, but…Harry seems to, and, well, you're right…I don't want to lose that friendship." His voice was tight, as if admitting Draco was right was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. "I'll be watching you though, and if you hurt Harry, then you'll have me to deal with."

Draco changed back for a moment at those words. "Don't be a hypocrite, Weasley. Don't threaten me until you stop hurting him yourself." And then he changed back, sprawling lazily across the couch, and Ron's expression turned to an angry pout. And that was the time that Harry and Hermione walked into the room.

- - - - - Back to the Present - - - - - - -

"Draco…?" Harry asked disbelievingly. Then he threw a suspicious glare at the rather smug-looking fox. "Okay what did you do to him?"

Ron chuckled at that, but sobered quickly. "Don't worry Harry, he didn't do anything…besides yell at me for a bit."

Hermione blinked, and then giggled. She walked over to Ron, and reached up to pat his head in mock sympathy. "Learns quickly, doesn't he?" she asked the room, and Harry laughed.

Ron rolled his eyes, and batted Hermione's hand away. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Why don't we all just go to bed now?"

Harry yawned at the reminder of the time, and consented to the request. "Sounds good to me." He took a couple of steps towards the dorms, before turning back to his two best friends. "And remember, don't tell _anyone_." At their nods and quick promises, Harry smiled in satisfaction, and started walking up the stairs again. "Come on, Draco," he called out behind him, and took a few more steps before he realized the fox wasn't following. He turned back curiously. "Draco?"

Draco changed back to a human again, and his expression was unreadable as he stared right back at Harry's curious gaze. "Not tonight, Harry," he whispered. He sent him a small smile to assure him nothing was wrong and turned around, exiting the common room and entering the dark corridors of the school.

Harry looked to his friends in confusion, as if they might have the answers. Hermione looked just as confused as he was, and Ron shrugged. Harry sighed, and decided to let it be for now. He just dearly hoped that Draco wasn't regretting their 'moment' earlier. Maybe it had been a fluke? What if he hadn't really meant it? Suddenly Harry shook his head to dispel his worried thoughts. Draco didn't act on impulse; he always had a reason for his actions. For now he would just give him the space he was requesting. He was too tired to put too much thought into it anyway.

As Harry began to fall asleep, he mused over Draco's ability with words. Ron was a thickheaded person, and stubborn to the last, and Harry kept wondering what Draco had said to convince him so quickly to get over his anger. Well whatever it was, he couldn't say he wasn't glad for it. Maybe he would find out tomorrow, but for now he was content to slip into the blissful darkness as sleep claimed him.

- - - - HD - - - -

The next morning, Harry went through a moment of panic when he felt no warmth beside him, before laughing at himself when he remembered Draco had not gone to bed with him last night. After fighting off the blush from that thought, he wondered how he had gotten so used to a warm presence beside him so quickly, when he had slept alone all his life before this summer. He was a little disappointed to find that Draco wasn't in the common room either, but at least both Ron and Hermione were there. He smiled and bade them both good morning. They greeted him back, and the trio made their way to breakfast.

Harry finally found Draco when they arrived at the Great Hall. The fox was curled up in Harry's usual seat, and the raven-haired Gryffindor couldn't help but smile. He walked up and stroked the silver fur on his head, and Draco nudged his hand before scooting down on the bench a space to the left. Harry took his spot, and idly kept his left hand in Draco's fur as he ate. Ron and Hermione sat across from him, and the three eagerly dug into the delicious-as-always meal.

Though as good as the food may be, throughout the entirety of breakfast, Harry could not shake the feeling that something – though he had no idea what – was simply _off._ And this fact in itself made him extremely nervous, since he knew his gut feelings almost never lied, and right now it was telling him that something was wrong.

In the next couple of days, Harry recognized the uncomfortable feeling as being watched. By the second day he realized he was starting to act just a little paranoid, and Draco sent him concerned glances several times. Harry tried his new favorite trick of extending his magic when he was in more deserted corridors to find the culprit, but much to his frustration, he could never find anything or anyone.

After three days of this, Harry got fed up with it, and right during lunch in the middle of the great hall, stood and shouted suddenly, "Leave me alone!" And then he proceeded to storm from the room with the entire student body staring after his retreating form in confusion.

Hermione and Ron glanced at each other, and then at Draco. He stared back, daring them to accuse him for Harry's sudden strange behavior. When it became clear that none of them knew what was wrong with the world's savior, the three stood up at the same time, (Draco didn't so much stand, as leapt off the bench to the floor) and followed after Harry.

They didn't have to go far before they found him. Harry was just a little ways down the corridor, resting his back against the wall. He raised his head when he heard their footsteps, and smiled a bit sheepishly. "Sorry about that," he muttered, and then his face turned serious again. "But all of you…" he finished his sentence by motioning with his hand for them to follow him, and turning to walk away. The three shared another hesitant glance, before doing as Harry requested.

He led them up to the seventh floor corridor, and to the room of requirements, requesting a place to talk in secrecy. When he opened the door, he raised his eyebrows in slight surprise. The room held no windows, and was made completely of stone. On the far wall hung the Slytherin and Gryffindor flags, and sconces holding lit candles lined all four walls. There was a round table in the center with four places set around it, with one larger chair, as if made for a head of council.

The other three followed him in, and Ron closed the door behind him. As soon as they were sealed in, Draco transformed back, and asked with obvious amusement, "What did you ask for _this_ time, Harry?"

Harry took one more look around the room, and answered, "Just a place to talk in secrecy."

Draco laughed aloud at that. "You realize a simple living room style would have done?"

Harry stuck out his lower lip in a pout. "I didn't ask for this! The room's got something against me, I swear!"

Draco snorted in amusement, and patted Harry's head. "Of course it does." Then he walked over to the table, and took the seat that looked as if it was fit for a king. He looked quite at home there, in fact, as he crossed his ankles on the table, and rested his elbow on the armrests, lacing his fingers in front of him.

"Hey, that was my seat!" Harry protested, crossing his arms over his chest. Hermione and Ron looked between the two in slight amusement; they hadn't really seen the interactions between the boys when Draco was human.

"I don't see your name on it," Draco retorted childishly.

Harry smirked. "Check again."

Draco blinked, and turned to look at the back of the chair, and saw in large cursive, scrawled into the surface, _Harry J. Potter_. He didn't know whether to laugh or slap Harry upside the head for sheer childish stupidity.

Ron laughed, and thumped Harry's back good-naturedly. Hermione shook her head, not quite able to stop her smile. "Okay you two," she said, trying to stop this odd non-argument. "I believe Harry called us here for a reason?"

Harry looked surprised for a moment, before he remembered that he had indeed called them all here purposely. "Yes. Yes I did." He walked over and took the seat to Draco's right, Ron sat next to him, and Hermione sat between Ron and Draco. "Okay, to get straight to the point…have any of you noticed anything…_strange_ lately?"

"Strange?" Hermione echoed with furrowed brows. "How do you mean?"

"Well…has anyone been showing unusual behavior or anything? For the past three days – since the day you all found out about Draco actually – I haven't been able to shake the feeling of being watched, and it's making me nervous. Neither of you let anything slip, right?" Harry asked, though he was quite sure he knew the answer. Even if his friends didn't like Draco, he knew he could trust them to keep this secret.

And of course, as expected, they immediately said they had not. He turned to Draco, who was being oddly quiet in his opinion. "What about you Draco?"

Draco raised an eyebrow in response. "What, you think _I_ told about my being in hiding?" he asked with a tone that hinted Harry might have gone off the deep end.

Harry rolled his eyes. "No, you prat. I meant have you noticed anything lately. Your senses are better as a fox, right? I haven't been able to feel anyone around with my magic, but I _swear_ we've been followed. Have you sensed anything?"

Draco looked thoughtful for a moment. "As a matter of fact, I've been watching the Slytherins lately. About the time you started going all paranoid on us," he smirked at Harry's glare, "they started acting…a little suspicious I think."

Ron snorted at that, speaking up for the first time. "Slytherins acting suspicious? Say it isn't so!" The sarcasm in his voice was unmistakable.

Draco narrowed his eyes. "Careful about assumptions, Weasley."

"Oh like you're one to talk." Ron immediately retorted.

"Guys!" Harry cut in before the argument could escalate. "Please, there are more important issues at hand here."

They both continued to glare, but no more words were forthcoming. Harry sighed in relief, and turned to Draco. "Now then, what do you mean by 'suspicious'?"

Draco turned slightly thoughtful again, and his gaze locked on some random spot on the far wall. "Slytherins are secretive by nature, of course. But lately, Blaise and Pansy have been, well, frankly they look like they're plotting something. I've known them long enough to know how they act when they've got some big plan, and they're definitely acting it now." He paused for a moment, and then looked at Harry. "Come to think of it, I have been seeing more of them than I should have, considering I've been around you all this time."

"What do you think they're planning?" Hermione asked, sounding concerned.

Draco's gaze turned to her, and he looked as if he was trying to decide whether to speak to her or not. He seemed to make his decision, when he sighed and looked back down at the table. "I don't know. And that's what worries me."

"Draco…do you think they suspect…?" Harry asked, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Again, I don't know. We're just going to have to be extra careful."

Harry sighed, and slumped down in his seat. "This wasn't supposed to turn so difficult," he muttered.

"You can't get overconfident, Harry. Neither of us can," Draco responded with a meaningful look at Harry's slouched form.

There was silence around the room before Hermione spoke up hesitantly, "What…what about Ginny?"

"Ginny?" Ron looked surprised at the sudden suggestion.

"She was pretty upset after Harry's rejection." Harry winced at her wording.

"So you think she went off and told the Slytherins?" Ron asked with raised eyebrows.

Hermione blinked. "Well no…oh, I don't know. I didn't mean _that_, I just mean…"

"Never mind that," Harry cut in, stopping Hermione's attempts to find the words she was looking for. "It doesn't matter how, anyway. All that matters is that they don't find anything out. Ron, Hermione, will you help us keep an eye out?"

"Of course, mate," Ron answered immediately.

Hermione nodded her agreement, but Harry wondered about the look she was giving him. "Harry…" she started slowly, as if working something out in her mind. "What…what are you hiding from us?"

"Hiding?" Harry asked, sounding genuinely bewildered.

"Well, I mean, we hardly see you anymore; you're always off with Malfoy. And you…you have that look like you've got something up your sleeve. And don't try to deny it," she said firmly as Harry opened his mouth to speak, "I know that look by now."

Harry's mouth closed, and his gaze turned to the table. "Sorry…" he muttered in a low voice. "I've been so caught up in-…everything…you're right of course, as always. I didn't mean to ignore you guys or anything, I've just been…busy. Yes, I do have 'something up my sleeve' so to speak, but, I guess…" He stopped and sighed, before looking up to meet Hermione's curious gaze. "It's my fight, it's always been, thanks to that stupid prophecy, and I don't want you guys more involved than you have to be."

"But, haven't we always been involved, mate?" Ron pointed out, not liking the fact that Malfoy was in on something he was not aware of.

Harry smiled slightly at that. "You have, but…this time the stakes are higher." Green eyes narrowed, and Harry's tone was suddenly darker. "This time, only one of us walks away."

A somewhat tense silence fell after Harry's words, as each contemplated the possible outcomes of this sudden conviction. Surprisingly, Draco was the one to lighten the mood. "And by 'one of us', you mean you, of course."

The corner of Harry's lips pulled upwards as he met Draco's eyes. "Of course."

"But why does Malfoy get to be involved?" Ron whined, sounding very much like a child denied a game while his siblings were allowed to play.

"Because he's right there in the middle of it all. He doesn't have a choice. You are only involved in this mess because of your association to me. I don't want to lose you guys, especially if I know I can prevent it."

"Well we don't want to lose you either!" Hermione immediately countered.

Draco groaned, and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. "Can we keep the Gryffindor sap down to a minimum, please?"

"Shut up Malfoy," Ron snapped, almost on reflex.

Draco turned a glare towards him, but again Harry cut off the argument before it could begin. "Ron, if you want to help, then get McGonagall to take over the Order. Reorganize it, and have it track down all the Death Eaters that are running rampant and unchecked. That would be a great help, actually."

Hermione looked thoughtful at this. "But what makes you think we'll have any sway?"

Harry pondered the question for a moment before answering simply, "Just tell her I intend to kill Voldemort, and the job would be made easier if he had less followers to gang up on me."

"Kill, not fight?"

"It's got to be," Harry answered somewhat vaguely. Then, in a quick topic change, said "You can do that for me, right? Oh and Hermione, I know you can be loads of help by looking for any clues as to any current or future movements of the Death Eaters, or Voldemort himself."

Hermione sighed, not liking the fact that Harry wasn't being quite open with them, but decided to let it go for now. It looked like Voldemort's reign of terror might finally be coming to a close, and if Harry was confident about whatever way he had to bring that about, then she was just going to have to trust him, and help in whatever way she could. "Okay, I'll see what I can do." She stood up then, and began moving toward the door. "Lunch will be over soon…we should get going or we'll be late." She took a few more steps before stopping, and pivoted so that she was half turned towards the others. "Oh and Harry, whatever you've got planned…good luck." She smiled at him, and left the room for her class on another far side of the castle.

Ron sat for a moment longer, looking between Draco and Harry as if trying to figure something out. Finally, his eyes stopped on Draco and he pointed a threatening finger at him. "I'm watching you." Then he stood, bade a happier farewell to Harry, and jogged out the door; presumably to catch a quick bite to eat before his own next class started.

A much more tense atmosphere settled around the two boys left within the room. Harry felt a blush creeping across his cheeks as he thought about that moment at the lake before. Neither Draco nor himself had said anything about the almost-kiss. He didn't know Draco's reason, but Harry had been too distracted by his own unease of being watched. '_I hope he doesn't think I don't want it!'_ he thought suddenly, his eyes widening slightly. He turned his head quickly towards Draco, who was watching him with a guarded expression. "Draco I–"

He cut off mid-sentence as he noticed the room around them start to change. Browns and grays changed to greens and blues, and the walls melted away until they looked to be sitting in a forest. Or more specifically, a clump of trees near a certain lake; the exact same spot they had almost kissed three days ago. Harry swallowed and the slight blush now covered his entire face, burning his cheeks. His gaze turned to the ground below him, and he silently cursed this room's sense of humor. He looked up again though when he heard a soft chuckle.

"I don't think the room has anything against you at all, Harry," Draco started conversationally, admiring how realistic the forest around them appeared to be. "Maybe it just likes you," he said with a smile, and Harry pouted. "An interesting place to choose, though. What's on your mind, Harry?"

To Harry's surprise, Draco had sounded quite serious with that question. But it was a light curiosity, and Harry realized with a jolt that Draco was looking for confirmation. So Harry looked up, and met Draco's inquisitive gaze. They simply sat and stared for a moment, as if neither could figure out a move to make, or a word to speak. Then Harry decided enough was enough, and stood. Their chairs had been removed with the former room so that they both sat on the ground, and Harry walked over to Draco and placed himself in the taller boys lap. Draco sat with his legs crossed, and Harry straddled him, tucking his feet beneath Draco's knees.

Draco's breath caught for a moment, and the faintest of blushes dusted his nose, but otherwise he appeared to not even react. Harry brought his hands up to rest on each side of Draco's face, and he brushed his thumbs across the pale cheeks. He then brought his head forward until their foreheads rested together, and whispered softly, "I think you know very well what's on my mind, Draco."

Draco swallowed, and brought one of his own hands to tangle in Harry's dark, surprisingly soft hair. "Then by all means, share your thoughts," he whispered back, and closed the small distance between their lips.

Harry hummed happily into the innocent kiss as he closed his eyes, feeling nothing but an unexpected bliss wash over his senses, and take over his body. He hadn't expected such a simple action to create such feelings, but somehow it surpassed everything he thought a kiss should be. Draco's lips were soft against his own, and when the older boy's tongue ran across his lips, he eagerly parted them, moaning softly as he allowed the muscle to map every part of his mouth before returning the favor. He may not be experienced, but Harry takes pride in being a fast learner. He placed his hands on Draco's chest, and applied a slight pressure, so that Draco leaned backwards until he was lying on his back in the soft grass.

The kiss broke for a moment, and both stared at the other, mouths parted and catching their breaths. Draco smiled then, a purely happy smile that Harry had never seen on the normally stoic face before. "Beautiful…" he whispered, not quite aware he'd said it out loud until Draco's smile took on a slightly amused tilt. He blushed as he realized his slip, but he couldn't very well take it back. "You should smile more, Draco," he decided, touching his fingers to Draco's lips, and tracing them gently.

Draco gave the fingers a gentle kiss before stating, "I do smile."

Harry laughed and shook his head. "No, Draco…you smirk. There's a difference. Granted, you have smiled more around me, but…well, not like this." Harry could feel his cheeks burning from the blush adorning his features at his own words, and ducked his head beneath Draco's chin to hide it.

With a slight chuckle, Draco pulled Harry's face back up, and kissed the tip of his nose. "Maybe if you ask nicely." Then in a sudden motion, he flipped them over, and draped his body over Harry's, simply enjoying the warmth the other boy emitted. He grabbed Harry's hands, and entwined their fingers together, using his thumbs to lightly caress the back of the Gryffindor's hands. He didn't do anything else for a long moment, making Harry slightly nervous, before he tilted his head to the side. "So does this mean you like me too?"

Harry simply stared at him dumbly for a second, before he realized Draco was just being facetious. Draco grinned, and Harry rolled his eyes. "Prat," he muttered affectionately.

Draco reached down, and nuzzled Harry's neck just below his ear. "Yes, but that would make me _your_ prat, wouldn't it?"

The warm puffs of air ghosting across his neck did nothing to benefit Harry's cognitive thought process, and his eyes slid shut as those words echoed around his head. For Draco to willingly claim that he, in a sense, _belonged_ to someone was quite a big deal, he realized, before all thought was lost to the sensation of lips and tongue playing with his ear.

"Yes, it would," Harry finally replied breathily. Draco laid gentle kisses, licks and nips along his jaw until he once again found Harry's lips in a much more passionate kiss than the first. It was longer before they parted this time, clinging to one another until air became an absolute necessity. "Won't- won't we be late for class?" Harry managed after he had regained a somewhat normal pattern of breathing.

"We've got an off-period," Draco answered in a way that made Harry feel slightly stupid for not remembering. Then a devilish grin spread across Draco's face. "Are my kisses so mind-blowing that you forgot your own schedule?"

Harry rolled his eyes, and punched Draco's shoulder. "Shut up. I'm not going to stroke your ego…you don't need it."

Draco chuckled and pecked Harry on the lips once more. "Kidding, love." He quite loved the reaction that got out of Harry, as the boy's eyes widened, and he blushed once more. In fact he was starting to wonder if that blush was going to be permanent. "No one's ever called you that before, have they?" he asked, honestly curious.

Harry shook his head, and smiled sheepishly up at Draco. "No they haven't."

At that, Draco rolled over onto his side, and pulled Harry close to him, burying his nose in the raven hair and sighing deeply. "We're both rather deprived children when it comes to love, aren't we?" Draco asked rhetorically in a voice that sounded both amused and regretful.

"L-love? Yeah…" Harry answered, closing his eyes and resting his head against Draco's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "How…how long have you liked me?" Harry asked, suddenly curious how this had all come about.

The arms around his waist tightened a bit, and Draco murmured in a low voice, "I think I've always liked you, Harry. I did start off wanting to be your friend, if you recall. But for what you're talking about, I think it was a couple weeks before your birthday, when I started to realize that I had been hating you for all the wrong reasons. And when you took those reasons away, there was nothing left to hate." He smiled into Harry's hair, and laughed softly. "I've definitely been spending too much time with you Gryffindors…"

Harry smiled in response, and brought his hand up to rest over Draco's heart. "I don't think so. I think, deep down, you really are a hopeless romantic." He could feel Draco's affronted expression without even having to see it, and decided to spare him any more embarrassment. "It still feels so strange, but, I'm…happy. I never would have thought it would be you, but somehow, it is, and now that it's happened, I wouldn't change it for anything."

Draco didn't reply with words, but in the tightening of the hold he had on the world's savior, and by the smiling kiss he laid atop his head. Harry sighed in contentment, somewhat surprised at how easily such affections passed between them, and they laid there in the serene wooded setting until their next class started.

- - - - - - - - HD - - - - - - - -

Well, that last scene (starting after Ron left) was definitely inspired by "Our Kingdom." If you like to read yaoi manga, I might suggest you check it out, as long as you don't mind cousins being together. It's very cute. I just got volume 4 and read it, and it sort of leaked into my writing. Hehe.

And also, I'm sorry if this chapter seems crappy, or sub-standard in anyway. I've sort of had to force it out, as it wouldn't come to me like the previous chapters have. And, I wanted to finish this and have it out for the new year. So…Happy New Year everyone!


	9. Affection and Misfortune

1) You guys are amazing. Seriously, I love you all. I never thought any of my writing would pass the 200 review mark, and yet it has! Harry and Draco plushies and cookies for everyone! And hearts to Rika'sGrayWolf who never fails to leave the best of reviews, and gave me a Rei plushie!

2) Funny, I was asked by a couple of people not to make this story too angsty. Trust me, you don't have to worry about that with me. I do love a bit of angst in a story, as it adds suspense to a romance, but I think, if you have too much in one story, it just makes it a drag to read. I've definitely seen it before, and I couldn't do it. I love my quirky Draco, and I'm a sucker for happy endings. The other story I've got in mind is a lil more angsty, but this one shall not be so. Not to say it's a happy feel good all the way around. I mean, come on, where's the interest in that?

Warnings: Um…don't kill me!

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**Chapter 9: Affection and Misfortune**

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**

For the rest of the day, Harry could say he was sufficiently distracted from his classes and the teachers that insisted he was supposed to be learning something. The presence of Draco next to his chair – as it always was – was simply too much a reminder of the kiss they had shared earlier, and he simply could not concentrate. Constantly he found his hand reaching down to rub Draco's ears as the fox's head rested on his knee.

It was such a sudden shift in their relationship, and it happened so seamlessly that Harry was finding it hard to remember that they hadn't always been like this. Though he wasn't sure what exactly 'this' was, everything about the whole situation simply felt so _right_ that he didn't even want to question it. So what if his archrival and near-enemy of six years was now the object of his desires and the obsession of his thoughts? It surely wasn't the strangest thing that had happened to Harry in his life. He almost laughed at the thought. In fact this was probably among the more mild events in his life of being number one on the hit list of a widely-feared dark lord.

Draco looked up curiously at Harry's soft snort of amusement, but the dark-haired boy just shook his head, and went back to taking notes on something he once again didn't care about. Needless to say, when classes were over for the day, he was very glad. He made his way to dinner, humming under his breath as he took his normal seat at the Gryffindor table.

Draco watched on amusedly as Harry just seemed so…happy. How had just one kiss contented him so much? Not that he wasn't happy of course. In fact, Draco thought as he nabbed a piece of steak from Harry's plate, what he was feeling now was entirely new to him. He'd had girlfriends before, and a boyfriend or two, but never had there been such a connection to them. He realized, as he thought about it, that what he had before was obligation and formality. When he kissed any former relation, he felt nothing, but with Harry, there was just something there he couldn't describe, and it was something he enjoyed immensely. After he finished chewing the bit of meat, he curled up on the bench, pressing against Harry's side, and closed his eyes. The warmth he felt near the other boy was pleasant, and he wondered whether that had always been there. It didn't matter though, not now. Somehow, and against all odds, Draco…had fallen in love. He was hesitant to put that word to it, but he knew there was nothing else it could be. Over the summer, it was simply a crush, but as time went on, and he learned more and more about the world's hero, he couldn't deny that his feelings steadily grew, and now he almost wasn't sure what to do with them.

His eyes opened in surprise at that thought. And that was just it; he really _didn't_ know what to do. He was used to seduction, and lust, but love? He could've laughed at himself at the realization. Well then he was going to have to learn as he went. And it wouldn't matter, because he knew the other boy was in near the same boat as him. He sighed heavily, lifting his head and flopping it back down onto the bench. Harry looked down in surprise, and chuckled at the animal's expression, and rubbed the fur on the back of his neck. Draco made a pleased sound in response that might have been a purr had he been a cat. Now was not the time to brood over how he was going to act around Harry. Actually, come to think of it, no time was the time for that. Now was the time to listen in on Harry's conversation with his friends, since, really, there wasn't anything better to do.

"What do you mean you _don't know_?" Hermione asked in a voice implying that whatever had just been said was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard.

Harry sighed, and rested his chin in his palm. "I told you, I couldn't pay attention, so I don't know when it's due."

Hermione shook her head. "Why couldn't you pay attention? You're not sick, are you?" She immediately went into what Ron and Harry liked to call 'mother mode.'

With a slight laugh, Harry answered, "No, Hermione I'm fine, really. I guess I'm just…a little tired. Lot of stress, you know?"

Her expression didn't really change, and she shot a suspicious glance at Draco. "Has he done anything to you?"

Much to his annoyance, Harry felt his blush return, and he fought to keep it from showing. _Besides giving me the best kiss of my life…?_ "He hasn't done anything, Hermione. Don't treat him like he's out to get me, please?"

Hermione sighed, and poked absently at the food on her plate. "I'm sorry Harry. Old habits die hard?"

Harry smiled in response, amused at the echo of words he'd used before. "I know, it took a while for me, too. Just trust me." Satisfied with the girl's nod, he looked to Ron, wondering why the normally loud-mouthed redhead hadn't said anything. And of course, he should have known it was because Ron was far too busy paying attention to his plate, and the stuff on it. He just shook his head in amusement, but immediately looked up in surprise when Ginny sat down near him. "'Lo Gin," he muttered awkwardly, not knowing quite how he should act, since he hadn't actually talked to her since that day in the forest.

The youngest Weasley smiled hesitantly at him and said, "Harry, can I talk to you for a bit?"

Caught by surprise, Harry found himself quickly replying, "Sure."

"Erm, without him?" Ginny added, gesturing to Draco who automatically stood to follow.

Harry studied her for a moment while Draco growled at the idea. There was no oddness to her tone, just a simple, polite request. He nodded, and placed a hand on Draco's head, getting him to quiet down. "I'll be right back. Finish my food for me?" he asked with a smile, and Draco snorted before turning around and eating the steak off the plate as if it had done something to offend him.

Ginny led them out the front doors, and just started walking aimlessly, breathing in the cool air of fall. "I'm sorry, Harry," she finally said after a little while of silent wandering.

Once again, Harry was taken by surprise, and stared at her blankly for a few moments. Finally returning to his senses, Harry shook his head and replied, "I should probably be saying that."

"No," Ginny replied immediately, and stopped to pick up a flower. She idly played with the petals as they continued walking. "You're right, the way you, well, turned me down _was_ blunt, but apparently I needed that."

"Ginny…"

"No, no, hear me out. I've done a lot of thinking over the past few days, and when I look back on it, you never really did give any indication that you wanted me like I wanted you." Harry blushed in part embarrassment and part guilt, but this went unnoticed by the redhead, who continued playing with the flower. "I got so caught up in this infatuation, that I didn't even notice where it is your heart truly lies." She gave him a sly smile at that, and Harry wondered if she somehow knew about him and Draco.

"It…it was me that suggested the map, so don't be mad at Hermione or Ron for that, okay?" Harry was about to say that he wasn't mad at anyone, but Ginny continued talking, so he just let out the air in a rush and listened. "I know that…we had something at one point. But, it wasn't love." She laughed and quoted the saying, "Hind-sight's twenty-twenty, isn't it? I think I was still clinging to my obsession that started when you saved me my first year. I guess it was a sort of…habit."

Harry's eyebrows rose as he looked to her. "So you don't–?"

"No Harry, I don't. You're…part of my family now." She rolled her eyes and said with a teasing smile, "Like I needed another _brother_." Harry chuckled as well, but soon they both sobered and Ginny continued on. "Besides, you seem to have your eyes set on a certain…_foxy_ Slytherin."

The blush came back full-force now, and Harry looked to the girl beside him with wide eyes. "Ginny!" he whispered harshly. She didn't have to put it like that!

Ginny giggled, and shoved Harry lightly. "You guys were about to…to kiss, when we found you, weren't you?"

Harry's thoughts rushed back to that night, and he found a smile working its way to his lips despite himself. Draco's words '_…because I'm jealous_' echoed through his head. "I- yeah, we were." Then his brow furrowed and he looked to her with a slightly suspicious glance. "Hey, why do you seem to be the only one that's picked up on that?"

Ginny shrugged in response, and dropped the now petal-less flower on the ground. "I don't know…I think Hermione noticed it, but just forgot about it with all the other stuff going on. And Ron, well, he's just an idiot."

Harry laughed out loud. "A little blunt, but okay. And what about you then?"

"Me? I've been watching you. After I calmed down that night was when I replayed the scene we walked in on, and I wanted to see if I hadn't just imagined things. You seem very happy whenever Malfoy is around, and watching you two together was what made me realize that we really aren't good together. After all that's happened in the past, he's good to you now, and good _for _you." She stopped and smiled at Harry. "If he makes you happy, Harry, then don't let anything hold you back, okay?"

There was a moment of silence as Harry was a bit stunned and lost for words, before he smiled and pulled Ginny into a light hug. "Thanks, for, you know…being understanding and all." He paused for a moment, then out of curiosity asked, "It doesn't surprise you that it's, well, a boy?"

Ginny shrugged as they pulled apart. "I suppose it did at first, but then, you've never had much luck with girls have you?" She winked at him, and laughed when Harry shouted an indignant 'Hey!' after her as she ran back to the castle.

- - - HD - - -

Draco veritably pouted after Harry and Ginny left, and Hermione had to stop herself from giggling at the sight of the fox's head flopped heavily on the table, and his ears drooping to the side. "He's allowed to be apart from you for a few minutes, you know," she stated to the animal, whose gaze moved from the doorway of the great hall to land on hers with a glare.

"Yeah, quit hogging Harry!" Ron stated from beside Hermione, and both turned to look at him with varying expressions. Hermione scrunched her eyebrows, and wondered if Ron ever thought before he spoke, and Draco was just looking at him as if he was an idiot. Then again, that's how he looked at the redhead most of the time, so there really wasn't much difference there.

Finally Draco decided he had had enough time alone with the sidekicks, as he liked to call them, and leapt from his place at the table.

Hermione was quick to catch the movement, and called accusingly, "You're not going to find them, are you?"

Draco tried to communicate through the glare he sent at her that no, he was not going after them and she would do better to watch her tongue. He did not appreciate her accusations, and definitely detested the way she seemed to take on the responsibility of…keeping him in line, as it were. So with that withering glance, he left the Great Hall to wander through the corridors. Of course he wasn't going to go after Harry, because doing so would show a lack of trust, and he knew that the Gryffindor would be insulted if he thought Draco's opinions of him were so low.

And what of Weasley? Telling him to stop 'hogging Harry.' He was not _hogging_! Okay, so maybe he did monopolize most of Harry's time, but there were good reasons for that. They were training, and Harry hadn't wanted to make Draco study all alone, so they did that together too. That was different now though; since the other two parts of the trio knew about the situation, there were a couple times they had found a private area to do all homework and studying together after Harry's explanation of their class situation. But besides that, Draco couldn't help it if he was a possessive person. Especially of the things he cared about most, and right now, Harry was top of the list.

So lost in his thoughts was he, Draco completely forgot to pay attention to where he was going. He was abruptly pulled from his musings though when he bumped into a _very_ solid leg. He looked up in surprise, and backed quickly a few steps away. A quick look around told him that, simply by subconscious reflex, he had walked down to the dungeons, and the leg he ran into belonged to one of his old bodyguards/friends, Vincent Crabbe.

The surprised group of Slytherins simply stared at the seemingly lost fox for a moment before regaining control of the situation. "Well, if it isn't Potter's little pet," Pansy Parkinson cooed in an overly sweet voice. Draco shuddered, knowing that specific tone never meant anything good for the one she used it on. She crouched down, balancing on her toes and looking hard into his eyes, as if searching for something. "And what are you doing down here little one? It's _awfully_ far from the tower."

She reached forward to pat his head, but he ducked away just slightly, his ears moving back in a defensive gesture. He didn't like the way she was looking at him – the way she searched his eyes as if looking for something specific. He tried to keep them as blank as possible; tried to think as if he truly were a fox. It was strange, he realized, to be on this end of the Slytherins' behavior. Normally he would be the one doling out the intimidation and suggested superiority. But now he was finding out what it felt like to be, well, like the rest of the school. Was he this unpleasant before? Strange how seeing something from a different angle can completely change your opinion.

"I do think the little guy is lost." Blaise stepped forward now, and bent one knee so that he was also more on the small animal's level. Then his tone changed, and his expression became something that Draco couldn't quite recognize. "Or perhaps he's here quite on purpose." The tone was deep and, frankly, scared the living daylights out of Draco. Maybe they really _did_ know?

Pansy smirked as she reached for her wand. "I think we should find out."

That was all Draco needed to see and hear before deciding he should get away. He turned on the spot, and tore off running like a bat out of hell, claws scraping against the stone floors as he fought for more traction. He turned corner after corner, and felt the steady incline as he made his way out of the dungeons, but still they pursued. Why were they so persistent?

Turning another corner, Draco ran into a pair of legs for the second time, although this one was more of a definite crash. He skidded into the person's legs, but they didn't budge an inch. A scent reached Draco's nose, and he was sure he had never been more relieved to see Harry. He looked up and saw Harry smile at him before he turned to the front again, and his expression hardened into that vicious glare Draco had only seen twice as the group of Slytherins came around the corner as well. All yelling and footsteps stopped as they met with Harry, who stepped slightly in front of Draco and stood with his arms crossed.

"Am I right in guessing this isn't simply a fun game of tag?" he asked, and though the question seemed light, his tone was anything but.

Immediately all the Slytherins' wands were drawn, but Harry did not move, and Draco had to admit it made him look far more menacing – not to mention sexier, but now of course was not the time for that. "We found your fox snooping around the dungeons, Potter. Thought we'd do it a favor and show it back where it belonged," Zabini replied with a sneer.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "How kind of you." It actually sounded sincere, for all the sarcasm Harry put into the statement, and the group before him weren't quite sure what to make of it.

The sound of cracking knuckles could be heard, and Goyle stepped forward slightly. Pansy put her hand up to halt him. When Harry still hadn't moved, after seeing Goyle's obvious intentions, Pansy felt a slight irritation that the boy was not acting as he was supposed to. "Aren't you even going to defend yourself?" she asked, indicating his relaxed pose.

"You haven't attacked me yet," Harry replied smoothly. He knew this pose came off relaxed to others, but beneath the surface, nearly every muscle was tensed, and with his seeker reflexes he was able to act on a moment's notice should the need to defend himself arise.

"And if we did, you'd be helpless, standing like that."

"I've got Arabel to protect me."

A snort of laughter was heard before Crabbe said, "That puny thing? What's it gonna do, _bark_ at us?"

Harry feigned surprise as he looked to thing number two. "Alas, it speaks!" he cried as if it was the greatest revelation in the world. Draco almost laughed, and he pressed his nose against the back of Harry's leg to keep from making any strange noises. Harry smiled inwardly at the contact, before turning serious again. "You know nothing of familiars, do you? You see, when a wizard and a familiar are bonded, the animal's magic becomes _quite_ strong." He looked down to Draco and winked at him. And Draco, being the naturally cunning person he is, cued into Harry's plan right away.

Draco barked once, and suddenly all of the Slytherins' wands flew from their hands, all the way to the ceiling and fell back down again. Harry would have laughed at their expressions if it wouldn't ruin the whole effect he was going for. It was only a mental _expilliarmus_ at Draco's command, and they were already looking scared.

Quickly recovering, Pansy picked up her wand, and glared at Harry and the fox known as Arabel. By now, quite a few people had started to gather around as they left dinner. After all, they really weren't that far from the Great Hall. "You're not that great, Potter. Just because you're allowed to get away with anything, and have a magical animal…you're still just an orphan with no skills and a lot of luck.

Harry's entire demeanor changed, and his next words were partially growled as he flicked his wand into his hand from a holder on his wrist. "Care to test that theory, Parkinson?"

Of course she wasn't going to let the fear show, but when had Potter become so…_fierce_? Blaise was the one to reply to Harry's question. "We have better things to do than waste our time fighting useless miscreants and their mutts," he said, turning back around and was shortly followed by the rest of the group.

Harry felt rather than heard Draco's sigh of relief as the fox leant against his leg. He replaced his wand back in the nifty holder he picked up recently, and smiled as he reached down and picked Draco up. Draco let out a yelp of surprise and half glared at Harry. Harry only grinned back and kissed the top of Draco's nose before carrying him all the way up to Gryffindor tower.

- - - HD - - -

When they were back inside the common room, Draco jumped down and pushed Harry towards the dorm rooms, as he had been heading for the couch. Harry allowed himself to be led, and as soon as they were back in the still-empty dorms, Draco transformed back and put a locking spell on the door.

Harry sent him a slightly confused glance. "Draco?"

Draco walked over to the window, and crossed his arms loosely. "So what did Weaslette have to say?"

A slight roll of his eyes was Harry's only response to the ingrained insult and the slightly accusatory tone. He stood up from where he had sat on his bed, and walked over to the window as well. He wrapped his arms around Draco from behind, and rested his chin on the taller boy's shoulder. "Somebody's jeaaaalouuuus," he said in a sing-song voice.

Draco's posture tensed. "Then give me a reason not to be."

Harry smiled, and nuzzled Draco's neck from his spot on his shoulder. "Because she just wanted to apologize for the way she's been acting." He paused for only a moment before saying, "She knows about us."

Draco spun around in Harry's arms with a surprised, and almost betrayed expression. "You told her?" he cried, and Harry was taken aback by the force of it.

"No, I didn't." His brow furrowed as he tried to figure out why that thought upset the blond so much. "She figured it out on her own." He lifted his hand and placed it on Draco's cheek, before running it through the soft strands of hair and enjoying the fact that he could now do this freely. Draco closed his eyes and sighed as he leaned into the touch. "You don't have to worry about her," Harry said softly, meaning it in two ways. Both that she wouldn't tell, and that Harry wasn't going to be leaving Draco anytime soon.

"So you don't like her, then?" Draco asked, while wrapping his own arms around Harry.

Harry chuckled, and placed a sweet kiss on Draco's lips. "No, Mr. Insecurity, I don't like her."

Draco's eyes opened and he glared at Harry for that comment. "I am not insecure. I'm just possessive."

"Whatever you say, Draco," Harry responded with a laugh and laid his head on Draco's shoulder. They stood there just enjoying one another's company until they heard somebody try to open the door from the other side, then the loud rapping of knuckles against the wood.

"Harry? Come on, open the door. I need in!" The two pulled apart reluctantly at Ron's voice, and Draco changed back to the fox while Harry undid the obscure locking charm Draco had put on the door. He shrugged innocently at Harry's curious gaze, silently asking why he needed in so badly. "Sorry, Hermione sent me in to get my homework, and you know I can't come back to her empty-handed!"

Harry laughed in response. "Understood."

"What about you Harry? Do you have any homework to do?"

"Nope."

"Yes."

Harry jumped and spun around to find Draco lounging lazily on his bed. The blond rolled his eyes. "Since you were so obviously incapable of paying attention today, I took the liberty of doing so for you. We've got an essay due in Astronomy tomorrow." Harry glared at him for looking so smug. Then he got a sudden idea, and after sending a quick mischievous grin to Ron, he turned and pounced on the Slytherin that dared mock him. It wasn't a light pounce, either. He threw his full weight onto the boy, and grinned in satisfaction when he successfully knocked the air from the surprised teen. He quickly stood up before Draco could retaliate, and pranced to the other side of the room.

"Well then we should get started shouldn't we?" He grabbed his bag and nearly skipped down the stairs, leaving two flabbergasted boys behind him.

"What just happened there?" Ron asked the room in general, not really expecting an answer.

"No Idea," Draco answered, and then a slow grin spread across his face, not without a malicious glint to the eye. "But he's asking for it now."

Ron blinked and turned quickly toward Draco, aiming to keep him from hurting his best friend. But then he realized that Malfoy was actually…_smiling._ Well maybe it wasn't the nicest of smiles, but it still wasn't the anger Ron had expected. "So…what are you planning to do to him then?" the redhead asked, not quite sure what he was doing by trying to make conversation with his long-time enemy. Sometimes he really wished his brain would catch up with the rest of his body.

Draco looked up, and the smile faded but the look in his eyes did not. "Nothing serious, don't worry your freckled head over it. I'm just going to annoy him." He chuckled and with a quickly mumbled, 'That should be about enough time' he turned back into the fox and made his way downstairs.

Ron, forcing himself to get over the surprise that being called freckled was the worst insult he'd received, followed quickly.

Finding the common room empty, Draco realized Harry must have gone to the room of requirement, which is where they had agreed to go when they were going to study together. They all agreed it was the only truly safe room in the castle. Well, Harry had pointed out that the Chamber of Secrets would be just as safe, but Hermione flat-out refused to go to the place that the dead basilisk still lay. Harry scrunched his nose when he remembered that and promptly agreed that the room of requirement was indeed the best option. Not to mention Harry was the only one who could actually get inside the chamber on his own.

So Draco headed off towards their newfound study room, with Ron following a few feet behind, hands shoved in his pockets. They paced the required amount of times in front of the door, and Ron pulled it open while Draco darted inside. As predicted, Harry was there, along with Hermione, sitting at a low-lying table and spreading out his assignments. Draco gave no warning before he ran over and leapt onto the table, sitting right in Harry's workspace and directly on top of all of his papers and books.

Harry simply stared at him for a long moment. Draco stared back. Ron took a seat. Harry continued to stare.

And finally after the longest time of silent staring, Harry said simply, "You're in my way." And then he grabbed Draco from the table and set him on the floor beside him.

Draco, quite annoyed at being so easily overpowered, jumped back onto the table just as Harry was about to reach for his paper. Harry narrowed his eyes at the smug fox. "Oh I get it. This is for jumping on you earlier, isn't it?" When Draco's answer was to stick his nose into the air haughtily, Harry let out a rather evil sounding chuckle. "Alright then, have it your way."

Once more Harry picked him up, but this time he stood and started walking towards a corner of the room. Draco twisted in his grasp, and saw a chain attached to a wall that hadn't been there before. His jaw dropped, and he started struggling in the boy's grasp, but Harry's grip was too strong. So Draco did the only reasonable thing. He transformed.

Harry yelped at the sudden weight in his arms, and since he was completely unprepared for the change, he lost his balance and went crashing to the floor. He grunted as Draco fell on top of him. "Draco, what the hell? That's no fair!"

"Oh I think it's very fair," Draco replied smoothly. "You were using your size advantage to overpower me, so now it's my turn to do the same."

Harry glared. "Yeah but that _hurt_!"

"Well you pounced on me the same way!"

"You were on a _bed_! This floor is _stone_!" Then his bottom lip quivered and he said in a smaller voice, "I think you may have really hurt me…"

Draco blinked, and leaned forward, reaching tentatively for the back of Harry's head, which was where Harry's hand was rubbing. "Really? I didn't mean to–" But he wasn't even able to finish the sentence before Harry yelled a triumphant 'Ha!' and flipped them over.

It took a moment for Draco to recover from his surprise, and when he did he glared up at Harry. "Talk about not being fair! You conniving little lion!"

Harry stuck his tongue out quite proudly from his position sitting atop Draco's stomach. Draco growled, and in one swift movement lifted Harry up and was manhandling him the same way Harry had done to him before. He held Harry sideways, and let the boy's body tilt so that all the blood rushed to his head. He let just Harry's shoulders rest on the floor for support, and proceeded to tickle him mercilessly for his revenge. Harry was laughing so hard that tears streamed from his eyes before they were reminded they weren't alone.

The sound of a throat clearing caused them to both stop immediately. Draco looked up, and Harry turned his head sideways and back a bit to look at Hermione, who looked like she was trying very hard not to laugh. Ron looked like he didn't know whether to be amused or appalled.

A heavy silence hung in the air for a moment, and then Draco dropped Harry unceremoniously to the floor.

"Oompf!" Harry's body hit the ground with a thud, and he glared at Draco. "Jerk," he muttered, picking himself up. Draco held a hand out for him in apology, and he gladly took it.

A lovely shade of red had found its way to Draco's cheeks, and he crossed his arms over his chest defensively as he walked back towards the table after Harry. He kept his head bowed so that his hair covered his face, and plopped down next to the brunette, not even bothering to pull out any of his own homework. How embarrassing! Nobody was supposed to see him like that! Well, Harry was the obvious exception, but he definitely hadn't wanted the boy's friends to see that side of him. He rather liked his intimidating image, thank you very much. He was pulled from his musings though when the fluffy-haired one spoke.

"Well I'm convinced."

Both Harry and Draco looked up in surprise. "What?" they said in unison, and glanced at each other for a moment before turning back to Hermione.

The bushy-haired brunette smiled as she looked between the two flushed faces, and the happy expressions behind the seriousness they turned towards her now. "I said I'm convinced. You told me not to treat him like he was out to get you, Harry. Well, I believe it now." Then she giggled and said, "I didn't know Malfoy even knew how to _have_ fun."

Draco scowled at her, and Harry chuckled, nudging his side gently with his elbow. "I hardly think there's any use in you trying to keep your image up now, Draco."

"I've told you before it's not an image," Draco said shortly, huffing as he turned his back to the group.

Harry rolled his eyes, and positioned himself so that he was back-to-back with Draco and leaned against him. "Around me it is," he murmured, and left it at that.

Another silence passed over the group, and for the first time, Ron was the one to break it. "Um…Hermione, do you have the notes from Charms?" And just like that all was back to normal. Draco grabbed what he needed for his own assignment from Harry's bag, but did not move from the position he was in, rather liking the warmth at his back as he worked. It was only a couple hours later that they finished in a peaceable mood.

- - - HD - - -

"I just don't get it!"

"Pansy–"

"I thought for sure it was him!"

"Yes but it–"

"What if he's learned to do wandless magic? That could work, right?"

"Pansy a person in their animagus form can't perform magic," Blaise said in a rush before he was cut off again.

"Then Potter had to have done it somehow!" the girl said with a huff, sitting down heavily next to Blaise.

The Italian boy rolled his eyes at her accusation. "Pans, Potter can hardly even do some of the simpler _spells_ right, there's no way he could perform silent, wandless magic and without even moving."

Pansy sighed, finally starting to accept the fact that she may have been wrong. "There are still so many things that don't make sense though, and something still doesn't sit right with me about Potter's stupid fox."

Blaise nodded sympathetically and patted her knee. "I know, Pans. Don't worry, we'll figure it all out. But right now we have to tell _him_ what we know."

Pansy let out another sigh, and appeared to almost completely deflate. "Okay. But then I'm going straight to bed, and don't disturb me until morning!"

Blaise chuckled as Pansy walked off to her room. "Sure thing," he replied before getting out a dark, leather-bound two-way notebook.

- - - HD - - -

Harry yawned widely, and Draco grunted in annoyance as he was pushed forward when the weight against his back became heavier. "Harry, I am not your personal lounge chair."

"Hm, I beg to differ," Harry replied without opening his eyes, and pushing even more of his weight against Draco's back. He soon found his head meeting the floor again though when Draco moved to the side. Harry grunted as he became reacquainted with the ground, but didn't actually bother moving.

Draco shook his head at the Gryffindor's behavior. "Tired?"

"Mmhm."

Ron chose that moment to yawn too, and Hermione laughed. "I suppose it is getting a bit late. We've all finished what we needed to anyway, why don't we go to bed now?" The two half-asleep boys agreed immediately. Draco put both his and Harry's things away, and set the bag next to him.

"I guess I can let you skip out on the occlumency lesson for tonight. Just think of it as a reward," he told Harry teasingly. Though a reward for the kiss, or a reward for saving him in the hallway earlier, Harry wasn't quite sure. Either way it didn't matter, as it meant he would get to sleep sooner.

And so after an uneventful walk back to the dorms, and a quick shower, Harry was tucked snugly beneath his blankets, with an arm draped over Draco and playing idly with the silver fur as he drifted off to sleep. Unfortunately sleep seemed to have a grudge against him that night as he soon slipped into a dream.

-_Dream_-

It actually started out quite pleasant. Harry was sitting in Draco's lap against a tree near the lake, with his back resting against the blonde's chest. The weather was nice out, and they were simply enjoying a bit of peace to themselves before going back inside for whatever reason.

Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's chest and squeezed gently. Harry smiled until the grip continued to get tighter. "Draco? Loosen up a bit, would you?" he asked, but the pressure did not let up. The arms continued to tighten around him, and a chuckle escaped the pale boy's lips. "Draco…" Harry pleaded in a slightly quivering voice by this point. What was going on? "I can't breathe…"

"Too bad, so sad," was the sung reply, and it was so cold that Harry wasn't even sure it could have come from the _old_ Draco. He whipped his head around, and yelped as the face of Draco began to warp, and change. His eyes began to glow red, and the arms around Harry turned into two large boas that continued to force the air from his lungs.

"Voldemort!" he hissed, suddenly realizing what was going on.

The deranged man's evil laughter rang out through the swiftly darkening skies. Suddenly the pressure released, and the ground simply opened up beneath him. He fell into pitch darkness so complete he couldn't see his hand two inches in front of his face when he lifted it. He closed his eyes, expecting a painful impact any moment, but it never came. When he dared to open his eyes again, he found he was floating. At least, it felt like he was floating; he couldn't tell up from down or left from right in this place. And then in front of him, what seemed to be a movie screen appeared. Or that's what Harry could best relate the large image in front of him to.

He was looking out at a group of death eaters, and Harry realized he must have gotten into Voldemort's mind again. But why? He had been practicing his occlumency, and he was improving! All thoughts flew from his mind though when he heard one word uttered. "_Crucio._"

A high-pitched scream pierced the air, and Harry gasped as the elegant form of Narcissa Malfoy fell to her knees. "No!" he cried out, but he might as well have been mute for all the good it did.

Then Voldemort's hissing voice could be heard as he released the curse. "_Where_ is your son?"

Narcissa choked on her words before she was able to get them out clearly. She looked up at Voldemort with rebellious blue-grey eyes. "Why do you want him so badly? He's just a boy!"

Voldemort sneered as he looked down at the pathetic woman below him. "Seventeen is no longer a boy. And he is a _traitor_! Your _son_ is to be a lesson to all those that dare defy me! By running away, he has shown that he thinks he can get away from his responsibilities. Obviously somebody needs to show him otherwise."

"Draco is a perfectly responsible boy–!"

"_Crucio!_ It's quite obvious where young Draco gets his rebellious side." Voldemort reached out a hand, and rested it on Lucius' shoulder, who was standing to his right. "Perhaps if we…got _rid_ of the problem, the boy would realize his mistake."

Narcissa gasped, and looked between Voldemort, and her expressionless husband. '_No'_, she thought silently to herself after looking into his cold-as-steel eyes. '_That is no longer my husband._'

"It _would_ teach him a lesson," Lucius agreed. "After all, I gave him a warning."

An evil grin spread across Voldemort's lipless mouth. "Would you do the honors, Lucius?"

And without a single word of protest, nor a single flicker of regret in his eyes, he lifted his wand and said calmly, "_Avada Kedavra._"

"NOO!" Harry shouted, throwing himself at the image as if he could do something to stop it. This was a bad idea. Suddenly Voldemort stopped, and seemed to be staring off into space. Then an image of him appeared in the darkness around Harry, looking somewhat like a ghost.

"Why hello, Harry," he said almost amiably, as if he had been expecting him to drop by for tea. "How lovely of you to come visit me."

Harry's eyes widened and he backed slowly away. An evil yelling Voldemort was intimidating, but this false niceness was downright terrifying. "I haven't come to _visit,_" he snarled, finally finding a bit of his Gryffindor bravado. "Why did you kill her?"

Voldemort looked interested suddenly. "And why would anything happening with the Malfoy family concern you, hm?"

Harry realized his mistake, and clamped his mouth shut, but it was too late. Voldemort laughed. "So what I've heard is true then! You have been hiding the youngest Malfoy, haven't you?"

Harry's lip curled. "I'm not hiding anybody. I don't know, nor do I care where that git is."

Something in Harry's tone must have given it away, because Voldemort's smile only grew. Suddenly a tortured cry came from somewhere behind him on a very familiar voice. Simply out of reflex, Harry whirled around and cried, "Draco!" Immediately he clapped his hand to his mouth. There was nothing but darkness behind him, and Voldemort laughed.

"Do give the young Malfoy my condolences about his mother, won't you?" Voldemort said, almost as if he really cared.

The image of Narcissa falling to the ground lifelessly invaded his mind once more, and though he didn't know the woman, the fact that it was Draco's mother made it hurt far more than it should have. He placed a hand on his stomach as it began to churn. Voldemort began to laugh again, that bone-chilling laugh that would haunt anyone's nightmares, and again Harry was falling.

Images flew before his eyes; images of torture. Women, men and children alike were screaming as the cruciatus hit them, or as skin and bones were broken. Each vision was progressively worse as he continued to fall into nothingness, and all the while a pair of red eyes glowed in the background.

-_End Dream_-

Harry woke up with a jolt, and it took him a second to realize he was screaming. Draco jumped and looked around wildly, disoriented from the sudden waking. Harry's sheets were drenched in cold sweat, and he kicked them off hurriedly as the nausea returned. He nearly sprinted to the bathroom, and slammed the door shut, running to one of the stalls and releasing everything in his stomach. When he was sure he wouldn't be sick again, he stood and walked to the sinks, rinsing out his mouth and splashing water on his face and neck.

He exited the bathroom at a slow pace, shuffling his feet as he walked right past all the beds and towards the dorm room door. There was no way he was going back to sleep after that. His steps faltered as he was shaking so bad it was taking all his energy to simply remain standing. He made his way down the stairs and into the common room, where the moonlight filtered in through the window, creating a pale glow. He walked over to the fireplace, and waved a hand to create a roaring fire inside of it. He wrapped his arms around himself, and simply stared into the flames, trying not to let any thoughts invade his mind.

"Harry…?" A soft, concerned voice reached his ears, and Harry turned his head to the sound. "Are…are you okay?"

Seeing Draco standing in the doorway brought the entire dream rushing back, and Harry chocked on a sob. "Draco…oh _god,_ Draco." His knees finally gave way beneath him, and Draco rushed over, dropping to his own knees and catching Harry under the arms just as he hit the floor.

"Harry what's wrong? You're shaking like a leaf!" The deep concern in his voice hit Harry hard, and he completely broke down. He couldn't ever remember crying like this as he buried his face into Draco's shoulder. It almost felt like he was losing his own mother all over again, and never even really known Narcissa.

Draco, taken completely by surprise, didn't react for a moment. When he finally regained his senses, he wrapped one arm tightly around Harry's waist, and brought the other up to tangle in the boy's hair, lightly massaging his head.

"I'm sorry Draco," Harry mumbled through his sobs, almost unintelligibly. "I'm _so_ sorry, I couldn't do anything…and she, I couldn't…" the words trailed off again, and Draco was left trying to interpret the hysterical babble. He grabbed the smaller boy's shoulders and pushed him back slightly, forcing Harry to look at him.

"Harry, spit it out. You're starting to scare me."

Harry shook his head, and averted his gaze. "Maybe…maybe it wasn't real. Then you don't have to worry about it…"

"Maybe what wasn't real?" Draco asked, working hard to keep his voice soft.

Harry looked up again, and Draco knew he'd never seen the boy look so miserable. "I…can't say it. I just can't. Draco I–" He cut off and shuddered. His hands gripped Draco's shirt near the shoulders, and his knuckles were white from the force of his hold.

"Show me?" Draco asked, not quite sure if he wanted to see what had Harry so upset, but knowing it was the only way to get it out of him while he was so distraught.

Harry gulped, and looked scared for a moment. "You won't like it," he whispered.

"Just show me," Draco reiterated, and Harry, after a slight hesitation, nodded once. He loosed his grip on Draco's shirt, and brought them up to the sides of Draco's neck, rubbing gently at the soft hair there as he touched his forehead to Draco's.

Draco moved his own hands to Harry's temples, and stared into worried green eyes as the dream began to play before him.

It only took a few minutes to replay, and when the last gruesome images faded, neither boy moved for an undeterminable amount of time. Finally, Draco's hands slipped from their place aside Harry's head, and Harry quickly grabbed them within his own. He ran his thumbs over Draco's palms, staring worriedly into blank grey eyes. "Draco…?"

Draco's gaze locked onto his immediately. "Why are you having dreams like that?" he asked in a whisper.

Harry blinked. "What?"

"Why are you dreaming things like that?" Draco asked louder, standing up so suddenly that Harry's hands fell from his grip to hang limply at his sides.

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked in a tone somewhere between concerned and offended. "You think I _want_ to see these things?"

"Why would you dream about my mother _dying_?" He yelled, voice cracking on the last word.

Harry dropped all notions of being offended. Of course he should expect Draco to get defensive. Slowly he stood up, but didn't move towards Draco yet. "Draco, I don't control what I dream. And that…wasn't just a dream. What you saw…was something I've seen many times." It was his time to be comforting now, and he talked softly, trying to be supportive even as shaken as he was. Draco's eyes never moved from him, and he could only hope the boy was listening. "I was literally _in_ Voldemort's mind. What happened…was a vision, not just a dream."

It took a moment for Draco to respond. "You…deal with that stuff on a regular basis?" Harry nodded. "And my mother…?"

"I'm so sorry, Draco," Harry whispered.

Draco swallowed, and nodded.

Harry waited for a moment, not quite knowing what to expect from the blonde. True he had gotten to know him better, but a tragedy situation had never come up for him in the time they'd been together. The closest was that letter he had received from Lucius during the summer.

Slowly, Harry stepped forward. "You…gonna be okay?"

Draco made an odd jerking movement with his shoulders that might have been a yes, no or a shrug. His head was turned to the side, and a curtain of hair hid his eyes. Harry took another step closer. "I'm going to kill him, Harry," Draco finally whispered, his hands clenching into fists.

"Who?" Harry returned, mostly to humor him.

Draco's head turned so fast that his hair whipped the side of his face before settling. "My fucking _father_!" Harry gasped at the pure fury in Draco's eyes, misted by tears he refused to shed.

Throwing caution to the wind, Harry closed the distance between them, and wrapped his arms around Draco's waist. Draco immediately latched on tightly to his shoulders, squeezing as if his very life depended on it. They stayed there, simply clinging to one another for comfort until the sun began to shine its first rays through the common room window. They moved to the couch, and fell asleep there, Harry reminding Draco to change back again. He rubbed his hands all through Draco's fur – a gentle caress to simply show he was there.

- - - HD - - -

A few of the younger years passed through the common room, but none bothered the pair on the couch as they made their way to breakfast. Hermione was the first of their year to come down the stairs. She started to smile at the scene of boy and fox, before she looked closer and noticed dried tear tracks on Harry's face. Furrowing her brow, she walked over and shook her friend's shoulder lightly. "Harry? Come on Harry, it's time for breakfast."

Harry groaned, and rolled over so that he was facing the back of the couch, causing Draco to wake up at the loss of the warmth from the arm draped over his back. Draco looked up, and noticed Hermione's curious look, and then turned to Harry who had fallen back asleep. He propped his front paws on Harry's shoulder, and licked his cheek a few times, effectively erasing the evidence of his breakdown the night before, and waking him at the same time. Harry rolled onto his back with one hand over his eyes, reaching up and rubbing behind Draco's ears.

Hermione watched the interactions, knowing there had to be something more than just a friendship between them. After all, Harry never acted like that with her or Ron. Especially after seeing Draco's behavior last night; and she knew her best friend well enough by now to know when something was up, or when he liked someone. Slightly surprised at the fact that the thought really didn't bother her, she shook it from her mind, and giggled softly before saying, "Harry, what are you doing on the couch?"

Harry removed his hand, and stared at Hermione for a moment before smiling. "Bad dream is all." He swung his legs over the side of the couch and stood up. "Wait for me, would you? I need to go get dressed."

With a nod of agreement, Hermione sat down on the other side of the couch to wait. "Good morning, Draco," she said with a smile.

Draco made a noise low in his throat, and turned around, curling into the corner of the couch with his back facing Hermione. She blinked in surprise. "Oh…kay…" She didn't say anything else, and only a few minutes later Harry came back down, dressed and looking a little bit better, but there still seemed to be a certain heavy air about him. The bags beneath his eyes from an obvious lack of sleep did not help the image. She watched curiously as Harry walked over and rubbed the top of Draco's head soothingly.

"Ron said he'll be down in a minute," he told Hermione as he sat down.

"So…what was the dream about…that made you decide to sleep on the couch?"

"Ah, it was just, you know…normal Voldemort stuff," he finished with an innocent smile. Hermione was skeptical, but she let it drop. It was obvious he didn't want to talk about it. "Speaking of which, how is everything going with McGonagall?"

"Great, actually," Hermione answered, jumping on the chance to get rid of the awkward atmosphere that had so suddenly settled around them. "She's taken control of the order again, after we told her how bad it had gotten, and they're working on tracking Voldemort as best they can." Harry nodded. At least it was something.

Eventually Ron made his way into the common room, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Alright I'm here, let's go eat."

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's one-track mind, but followed anyway, with Harry and Draco bringing up the rear.

Breakfast went normally at first, but Harry could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. He didn't mention the feeling of foreboding though, attributing the jittery anxiety to the…events, of the night before. Plus he didn't want to upset Draco any more than he was already. Throughout breakfast, the fox simply rested his head on Harry's leg, and didn't make a move to eat anything, and Harry didn't know what to do to raise his spirits. He understood what it felt like to lose someone close, and so could only offer his shoulder to lean on. Or, as the case may be, his leg.

"What's up with him?" Ron asked, waving his fork vaguely in Draco's direction. "He looks like someone died or something."

Draco's head snapped up, and his lip curled as he growled at Ron. He moved forward as if to jump over the table, but Harry grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back into his lap. "Leave him alone, Ron. We're all allowed our bad days, right?"

Ron blinked in surprise, looking a bit afraid of the death-glare sent his way. "I- I guess. Sorry," he mumbled and turned back to his food.

Harry gave up eating, and simply settled for trying to calm Draco down. That lasted all of five minutes, until a large, regal-looking Eagle Owl flew in through the windows, long after the morning post had come, and landed directly in front of Harry. It pecked his finger hard after he'd untied the letter and flew away, drawing several pairs of eyes as it went. Harry hissed and placed the offended finger in his mouth until the pain dulled before opening the letter. He easily recognized the tilt of the handwriting from the letter Draco had received that summer. Immediately he was on edge as he began to read.

_Potter,_

_As it seems you have had contact with Draco, do give him this message, won't you?_

_Draco- My dearest regards, and regrets for your mother. How unfortunate that this most dreadful of events could have been avoided if only you had come back to take responsibility for your own actions. Now I ask you once more to come back, and I may be merciful. If not, then I will show no less to you then I shall to Potter. You have forgotten your honorable place at the Dark Lord's side, and forgotten yourself. If you decide to make the right choice, you know where you can find me. If not, well of course we are not unprepared for tricks._

_As for Potter, the Dark Lord says hello._

As soon as he finished reading, an ear-splitting scream erupted from the letter, and it exploded into a cloud of green smoke, which slowly formed into a small version of the Dark Mark that always hung over the scene of a Death Eater's crime. Harry jumped back in surprise, and fell awkwardly over the bench, landing on the floor with his legs still in his seat and his hands braced behind him.

Draco backed up a few steps, growling at the menacing puff of smoke while chaos erupted around the Great Hall. Suddenly Draco started to make a dash for the doorway, but Harry quickly scrambled to his feet and was able to grab him before he got past the Gryffindor table. He turned around and snapped at the hands holding him, but Harry wouldn't budge. And then in probably the most impulsive move Draco had ever made, he transformed back to his human self and rounded on Harry. "Goddammit Potter, let _go_!"

Harry kept his grip tight on Draco's arm. "So you can run off and get yourself _killed_? I don't think so!" He glanced over Draco's shoulder, and noticed the group of Slytherins so intent on exposing them heading towards the doors, hiding amongst panicking students. "Oh no you don't," he muttered under his breath, and with a wave of his hands the doors banged shut, and a heavy click reverberated through the instantly silent room as the doors were locked. Satisfied, he turned back to Draco. "You won't get anywhere if you just barge in like that."

"Says Mr. Gryffindor who does nothing but!"

"That's different!"

"How? Because you're _stronger_ than me? _Better_ maybe?" Draco shouted, not paying any mind to the stunned students as a rising edge grew in his voice. "Always think you're so great! I don't _care_ what'll happen to me. The damned bastard killed my mother and I'm going to make him pay!" A few people gasped at the news, Hermione being one of the loudest. Harry narrowed his eyes, pulled back his arm, and punched Draco square in the jaw.

"You idiot," Harry whispered as he knelt over Draco, talking lowly so that only the people nearest them could hear. "_I _do care." He lightly touched the spot where a bruise would definitely form in apology, but it had gotten his point across. Draco lost the crazed glint to his eyes, and looked up at Harry sadly.

"And what about Severus? They've bound to find out. He's…the only one I have left now, Harry." That struck something in Harry's core, as he remembered Sirius, and what it had felt like to lose him; his last bit of family.

Harry sighed heavily as he looked into Draco's eyes. "Your father said you'd know where to find him?" Draco nodded, and Harry closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his nerve before opening them again and saying, "Then I guess it's time we put all our training to use."

"Just like that?" Draco asked, and Harry knew he was referring to the 'sudden attack' tactic.

Harry smiled a bit and said, "Hey, you were the one about to go rushing off alone. I do believe that's my job. I'll leave the planning on the spot to you." Then he stood up and offered a hand to Draco, who took it and stood up as well, and they both turned to face the rest of the cafeteria. "What a way to start the day…" Harry muttered.

"Hey!" Someone from the Hufflepuff table yelled. "What's he doing here?"

Harry raised his hand to quiet down the instant uproar of voices, noticing that some of the teachers were starting to stand. With a smug smile, he announced to the room, "It's none of your business why he's here, and in a moment it won't matter anyway."

"Why not?" A different person asked, and Harry smirked, causing Draco to raise his eyebrows in surprise.

Harry simply turned his hand palm out, and waved it over the cafeteria, saying loudly, "_Obliviate!_" making sure to exclude Draco, Hermione, Ron and McGonagall from the spell. A snap of his fingers unlocked the doors, and then in a flash he wrapped his arms around Draco, spun on his heel, and they both disappeared from the room with a 'pop' leaving a very clueless crowd in their wake.

- - - - - - - - HPDM - - - - - - - -

A/N: Oh my god I can't believe I just did that…seriously, I never meant for that to happen! Curse you traitorous fingers! Actually, I wasn't even going to end it there, but it seemed like a pretty good place to stop, and I am at the end of page 22. Just over 10,000 words…sweet jesus.

So that dream and big event at breakfast has been in my mind since chapter 6 or 7, but it kept getting put off, then when I actually do get it in, it had somehow evolved into this! Don't hate me! And this had been such a happy story too…I promise that's the worst of it though! It's just, this chapter was so much fun to write, and then I started getting carried away and let my fingers run off, and this is somehow the product. Someone in a review mentioned that more happens in this story than the summary implies…haha, trust me, that wasn't the original intent. But things grow and evolve, and there you have it. I guess there's only a couple chapters left, since I see a resolve in conflict soon. We'll see though.

Liked it? Hate me and want to yell at me? You know the drill… .::builds a pillow fort and hides in it::.


	10. Broken Chains

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**Chapter 10: Broken Chains**

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"…'Mione?"

"Mmhm?"

"Did Harry just…?"

"…yeah."

"And then they…"

"Uh-huh."

A heavy flump was heard as Ron fell back into his seat, not quite sure when he had actually stood up.

"I guess that's the training they've been working on then…" Hermione stated wonderingly, looking around as people began to come to their senses and were looking around confusedly. She glanced up at the staff table, and noticed that the headmistress seemed to be the only other one unaffected. '_How did he knock out the memories of the entire student body, while still skipping the professor and us…?_' she wondered. No wonder the boy hadn't seemed as concerned as he should have been when the subject of fighting Voldemort was brought up. She nudged Ron's shoulder, and pointed at McGonagall, urging him to follow her up to the staff table. After all, the order needed to get together a backup team and quickly!

- - - - - - -

Harry and Draco appeared suddenly in the headmistress' office, Harry just catching his balance before he dragged both Draco and himself to the ground. Draco stepped back from Harry, and looked at him as if he had grown a second head or something similarly strange. "What?" Harry asked when no words were forthcoming from Draco's slightly agape mouth.

"Harry, you…do you realize what you just did?"

Harry laughed nervously. "Well I know it was risky to wipe all of their memories but–"

"You just apparated _inside_ of _Hogwarts_!!" Draco suddenly exclaimed, cutting Harry off and making him realize that the other students were of no concern to the Slytherin.

Harry blinked, and looked up as if seeing the room in front of him for the first time.

"That is an _impossible_ feat, Harry! And you took me with you!" Suddenly his eyes widened and he grasped Harry's shoulders tightly. "You could have splinched us both what the hell were you _thinking_?!" Then he released Harry as quickly as he had grabbed him and looked excited again. "I don't think even the old coot Dumbledore could do that!"

Harry opened and closed his mouth several times during Draco's tirade, beginning to worry about the boy's sanity. He was about to tell Draco to calm down and ask him what drug he had taken that morning, when a chuckle sounded from their left and said in a kindly voice, "Quite right, m'boy."

Both boys whirled around to face the source, Harry doing so too quickly, and caught his left foot on his right ankle, causing him to stumble sideways. Draco caught him, raising his eyebrows at the sudden clumsiness, but the witty jibe about the action died on his tongue as he caught the expression on Harry's face.

"P-professor!" Harry breathed, relying on Draco's arms for support at the moment. In all that had been going on this year, he had forgotten about the school's tradition to put portraits of all the school's former headmasters into this room. And Dumbledore's was especially large, hanging behind and to the right of the large desk. For a second he had imagined the real Dumbledore to be standing there, and was now forcing himself to get over the sudden shock and regain his senses.

Dumbledore smiled kindly, and nodded once in their direction. "Hello Harry. It's good to see you again. I was wondering if you were going to pay this old man a visit."

Harry chuckled through watery eyes, and finally found his footing, squeezing Draco's hand in thanks as he stood straight. He sniffed and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, before gathering himself and sending a smile to the portrait. "Sorry, it's just, I've been so busy…I haven't really had time to see _anyone_."

"Busy training your magic, I see." Even in the painting, Dumbledore's eyes managed to twinkle, and Harry nodded. "Yes, Minerva told me that most interesting fact about your magic, and the blood protection. I'm afraid I never saw that one coming. To be able to apparate inside of Hogwarts is a truly amazing feat; it seems you've grown very powerful. I dare say you may have even surpassed me."

Harry blushed and turned his head to the side, mumbling about how he wasn't that great, and causing Draco to smile in amusement. "Harry, you just obliviated the _entire_ student body, and then apparated two people inside wards that _do not allow_ apparition. Take some credit for once, would you?"

"You obliviated all the students?" Harry immediately looked up guiltily, but Dumbledore looked as if he might laugh. "My, my, that must have been a sight. Then again, so is seeing Hogwarts' most famous rivals gone from hate to love." He smiled serenely as both boys' faces immediately flushed from embarrassment. "Don't worry boys, I won't tell," he added with a wink. Draco looked like he was trying to smile and scowl at the same time.

"But enough idle talk. I assume there is a reason behind this sudden appearance, or do you make it a habit to see how many laws of magic do not apply to you?" Dumbledore directed towards Harry, who pouted just a little at the words, even though the amused tone was obvious.

Draco blinked, and turned towards Harry. "Why did you bring us here anyway?"

"Ah, well, it was the first place I could think of, I suppose…this is where I used to come when something big happened…to talk with Dumbledore. Force of habit?" he answered with a sheepish grin, and Draco rolled his eyes.

He flicked Harry's ear affectionately, and said, "You're not in trouble for it, no need for the apologetic tone." Then he turned to the portrait, where its occupant was sitting in a chair and watching them with his hands folded in his lap and a smile on his face. "We're going to fight Voldemort," he stated as if it were a simple, everyday task, in answer to the man's question.

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose, but he otherwise showed no surprise at the statement. "Alone?"

Harry cut in this time. "Well, knowing Hermione, she's going to talk to Professor McGonagall and try to send the order after us, but essentially yes, alone."

Dumbledore leaned forward and rested his chin atop folded fingers, staring intently at Harry, giving off quite the illusion that he wasn't even a portrait at all. "Do you think you are ready?"

Harry swallowed nervously, and Draco found his hand and squeezed gently in reassurance. Harry closed his eyes briefly, returning the gesture, and when he opened them his expression was set. "I'm more than ready, professor. I'm tired of people getting hurt, and this was the last straw."

The former headmaster didn't have to ask what 'this' was, as the pain in Draco's eyes and the defense in Harry's posture said it all. "I see," he said softly, not really in answer but more to himself.

"If you have any tips or information that would help, or any ideas, now would be a good time to tell me. Any last nonsensical words of advice perhaps?" Harry asked with a slight grin, causing Draco to raise an eyebrow. Had Harry always talked to the headmaster that way?

Dumbledore simply chuckled, before putting a finger to his chin in thought. "As a matter of fact, I do. Hold on a moment." He stood from the chair, and walked out of the frame for a few seconds, before returning with a very long scroll that was unrolled, and disappeared off the side of the painting. Dumbledore placed his glasses on his nose, and ran his finger down the list, mumbling to himself as he did so. "Aha! Here we are." He said finally, and cleared his throat. "Overconfidence and security; the enemy of my enemy is my friend." He set the scroll on the floor with a smile, and sat down again, watching with an amused expression as Harry looked at him as if he had announced he should simply go propose to Voldemort instead of fight him.

"I wasn't serious," the brunette deadpanned.

Draco's face was set into a somewhat similar expression. "Do you just use your spare time to write useless words of advice for all occasions?"

Dumbledore fairly beamed at Draco's words. "Indeed, a portrait has an awful lot of spare time, you know. I was thinking of starting a business, perhaps even team up with that lovely muggle card-writing company…Hallmark I believe it's called." He seemed to get lost in his thoughts, and Harry and Draco exchanged glances.

"_This_ is your role model, Harry?" Draco asked as if he thought the other boy had finally lost it.

Harry crossed his arms in defiance. "He's a brilliant man…when he wants to be…"

Draco just shook his head. "Whatever, we're wasting time here. My father won't wait forever."

Harry's mood turned serious, and he nodded. "You're right. I'll come back and visit, okay Professor?" he called back to the portrait as Draco pulled him to the door by his hand.

Dumbledore smiled and waved. "I look forward to it, Harry."

When the door closed behind them as they stepped onto the staircase, Harry tugged on Draco's hand to stop him. Draco, who had been quite intent on his forward progression, was jerked backwards and stumbled for a step before stopping to look curiously at Harry. "What is it?" he asked at the suddenly searching expression in the jade green eyes.

"Draco…"

He was cut off almost as soon as he started talking by Draco's fingers pressing against his lips. "Don't bother, I can tell what you're going to say just by your eyes. He is my father…but I'm going to let you in on a little secret, Harry." He gave him a very sweet smile that completely countered the glint in his eyes, and leaned forward so that his lips just brushed Harry's ear as he spoke in a whisper, "I was raised to be ruthless." He smirked to himself at the shiver that ran through Harry's body, and then he pulled back and patted Harry's cheek. "Now be a dear, and take us somewhere off school grounds so I can take us to father's waiting spot, would you?"

Harry shook his head. "You're quite the piece of work, Malfoy," he muttered, causing said blonde to laugh as Harry took them to a vast expanse of field outside the wards of Hogwarts.

- - - - - - -

"Do you think he will come, Lucius?" Voldemort asked calmly, as if observing the weather as he sat at the wooden table and stirred his tea.

A shadow of a smile fell across the aristocrat's lips as he stared out the window at the darkening sky, taking a delicate sip of his own steaming tea. "There are few things that will cause my son to think irrationally; this is one of them. He will come."

"Willingly and alone?"

Lucius chuckled humorlessly. "Is that not why Severus and the other Death Eaters are here?"

Severus stood near the counter, leaning against the wall with one foot propped up against it and his arms crossed over his chest. His own tea sat on the counter next to him completely untouched. "Does it not bother you, Lucius, that you need me here to convince your own son to come back to you?"

"And does it not bother _you_, Severus, that you were going behind my back with my wife?" The blonde countered without even batting an eye.

Black eyes narrowed, but Severus' posture did not change. "If you are implying that your wife was having an affair, then you should rethink your words. Narcissa was a far better woman than that."

"And where are your loyalties Severus? Just with her? Or perhaps with Draco now? Are you going run to the Potter brat as well?" Lucius' tone was mocking, and Severus' upper lip curled just slightly in distaste.

"Now, boys, play nice," Voldemort said as a parent to their children, but with no real conviction. After all, he thrived on conflict and anger; this was merely a pre-show for what was surely to come upon the youngest Malfoy's arrival.

- - - - - - - - -

"Professor McGonagall!" Hermione cried, waving her arm as she dragged Ron through the crowd to the head table.

McGonagall looked up and gave the smallest of smiles. "Oh, Hermione, what's wrong?" she asked as she took note of the urgent look in her student's eyes.

"Professor, can we speak to you…in your office?"

The headmistress only took a moment to get over the irony of a student asking her to her own office before nodding her head in agreement. After the events that just happened, this surely had to be about Harry and the order.

The three quickly escaped the recovering students, who were starting to just go back to the food in front of them as if nothing had happened. The trek to the office was silent and tense, as worry and the realization of a final battle hung in the air. After the door was closed, Hermione turned around to begin speaking, but cut off mid-breath as she caught sight of the painting smiling benignly behind McGonagall. "Professor!" she gasped, and Ron looked up with a similar expression.

"Hello Hermione, Ron, Minerva." Dumbledore spoke conversationally, smiling at them from behind the glasses he had yet to take off.

"Good morning, Albus," McGonagall replied, nodding her head towards the portrait. "You know your favorite student pulled quite the stunt just a moment ago."

Dumbledore's expression changed to one of mischief, and suddenly he looked like a child with a juicy secret. "Oh I know. He apparated right in front of me with young Mr. Malfoy in his arms."

"He came here?" Ron cried out suddenly, deciding to ignore the 'in his arms' part. "Well then where is he now?"

"Why I do believe he has gone to take Draco to a…family reunion, of sorts."

McGonagall's expression suddenly turned concerned, more so than Hermione and Ron had seen her before, and her voice was a somewhat shaky whisper when she next spoke. "You mean they've really gone off to fight _alone_?" Dumbledore nodded once in response.

"Oooh, I just knew he was going to do something like this one day. Why can't he ever just accept the fact that people _want_ to help him?" Hermione cried as her hands clenched into fists in frustration.

"Because that is how he was raised," Dumbledore answered, with a sad, regretful smile on his lips. "He doesn't feel he should have to depend on other people, and he doesn't want to put those close to him in danger if he can avoid it."

"But he's got Malfoy with him!" Ron cut in indignantly.

Dumbledore nodded, folding his hands beneath his chin. "Indeed, but Draco is already involved; it is his father they are going to meet, after all."

Hermione looked perplexed, and said slowly, "But what about Voldemort?"

"Odds are," Dumbledore began seriously "that wherever they find Lucius, Voldemort will not be far off."

"But…can't we do something?" Ron pleaded, dearly wanting to help his best friend of six years.

"I will call the order together for backup," McGonagall stated, as if she wasn't quite sure what sort of action this particular situation called for and so said the only thing that made sense.

Hermione nodded. "I read about a tracking spell recently that we could use to find them! We'd need something of Harry's, of course, and–" She cut off suddenly as the shimmering form of a very familiar silver stag leapt through the wall to stand in front of them. An equally bright eagle followed and perched atop the deer's antlers. The small group gathered in the office exchanged curious glances as they listened to the message from the patronus.

"Hermione, and Ron and Professor McGonagall if you are there, which I know you probably are…if you feel you must help us, then don't just come charging in. We've got a plan, and discretion is important. I can't explain now, but just trust me. The eagle is Draco's, it will guide you to where we are. Please don't be rash!"

And then the majestic animal faded away, leaving three very surprised – and one rather smugly amused – expressions in its wake.

"Rash? Rash?!" Ron spluttered. "He went off to fight the baddest wizard of the century alone but for one person and tells us not to be rash?"

Hermione giggled, knowing very well that Ron, for once, made a very excellent point. "Yes but I think he's a bit more justified in doing so, considering how powerful he's gotten lately," she replied.

"Quite right, Hermione," Dumbledore said pleasantly, and she turned to give him a curious look. "In fact it would seem they decided to listen to reason." The only response to his words was more bafflement, and his eyes twinkled.

- - - - - -

Draco set them down a good distance away from the actual set meeting place. Now that he had had a chance to calm down somewhat, he found himself thinking more clearly, and already thoughts and plans swirled through his mind as he and Harry crouched into a thicket of overgrown plants. Perhaps two hundred feet away from them stood a somewhat dilapidated building, but not so far gone as to be unsightly. It rather looked antique, but Draco was not fooled by its quaint charm. He knew that, behind the old and cracked stone walls stood a powerful madman, and an equally mad follower.

A hiss of pain from beside him drew his attention sharply, and Draco looked over to find Harry bent forward and clutching his forehead. "Harry…?" he asked, unsure what had caused this sudden reaction. He immediately realized it, though, when Harry looked up, and his hand moved just enough that his scar was revealed, looking an angry red and quite painful indeed.

Gray eyes softened, and Draco reached forward. With tenderness completely averse to the situation at hand, he moved Harry's hand aside, and brushed his fingers gently over his brow. Harry closed his eyes and a soft sigh escaped his lips, appreciative of such a simple caress. "So he's here too, then?" Draco asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah…but it shouldn't be hurting this much…not from this far away," Harry groaned.

Draco's hand moved to rub the back of Harry's neck absently as he moved his gaze back to the unobtrusive house before them. "It must be because of your new powers. It's given you a heightened sensitivity to magic."

"Oh well that's great. It'll be harder to concentrate if I can't think past one stupid headache," Harry mumbled.

A light chuckle escaped Draco's throat. "Yes but think about it; get rid of the problem now, and you won't ever have to worry about it again. Now…can you tell how many others are there?"

Taking a deep breath and willing himself to ignore the pain in his head and concentrate only on the gentle, pressing hand at the back of his neck, he closed his eyes and willed his magic forth to survey the situation. The closer he got, the more tainted the ground felt, and he shivered lightly in disgust. Through the view with his eyes closed, everything looked black, and somehow corrupted. The comforting hand pressed harder, and Harry swallowed, pushing further still, and finally it reached the house. It just passed through the walls, and he was able to catch shadowy glimpses of three figures before his scar exploded with pain, and he abruptly lost all concentration as he pulled back with a cry.

Immediately Draco reached out, and put his arms around Harry's shoulders. "Harry! Are you alright?"

With a slight groan, Harry pressed his forehead into Draco's shoulder, taking a moment to respond. "I'm fine…but Voldemort is definitely there, front and center. I saw two other people there; one was your father…and I _think_ the other might have been Snape. But I couldn't get past them to see if there was anyone else around."

Draco nodded as he continued absently massaging Harry's head, which had not yet lifted from his shoulder. "Then we'll have to play this carefully." Harry took a breath to speak, but before he could protest, Draco spoke over him. "I know you've got all this new power, and even I'm stronger, but we still are not charging in there…despite my earlier actions." His voice lowered towards the end of the sentence, and Harry chuckled. "We don't know how many people they brought for back up, and if there's a lot, then even this magic won't give us much of an advantage if there are spells flying at us from every angle."

Harry reluctantly agreed, and reached up to grab Draco's hand, twining the paler fingers with his own. He pulled back and laid a kiss on Draco's palm. "As nice as that feels…" he whispered, watching amusedly as Draco lifted an eyebrow, "It's a bit distracting. I don't need your Hufflepuff side right now…I need the Slytherin."

Draco frowned, and Harry noted the expression was dangerously close to a pout. "I'm _not_ a Hufflepuff," he muttered, though more for formality than an angry denial of the statement.

Harry chuckled and patted the hand he still held. "I know, love." Draco looked up sharply at the title, and they shared a quick, affectionate smile before turning serious, and concentrating on the business at hand. "So we need to find a way to get in there and find out what we're dealing with, without getting ourselves caught in the process," he mumbled, more to recap the situation than anything.

A distracted nod was the only response he got for a moment, and then suddenly Draco hit his brow with the palm of his free hand. "Oh Merlin, no," he muttered, and sounded so woeful that Harry looked over with an expression caught between surprise and worry.

"What?" Harry asked, thinking their situation had just somehow gotten a whole lot worse.

When Draco looked up, he looked completely reluctant to say anything at all. "The batty old man actually said something _useful_."

There was silence for a long moment, before Harry simply burst out laughing, quickly covering his mouth with his hand as he realized they were still in enemy territory. When he had calmed down, he sat back up and said, "Yeah, he does have a knack for that. He always spouts stuff that makes no sense until the very moment you actually need the information."

Draco nodded, but didn't look all that happy about it. "Overconfidence and security…the enemy of my enemy is my friend. It's simple! All we have to do is make _them_ get overconfident, until they feel secure enough to reveal any tricks up their sleeves."

Harry blinked, and looked back toward the house. Well, that was definitely simple enough in theory. "And about the last part?"

There was a slight pause, as Draco's fingers tapped his chin absently in thought. "You said that you saw Severus, right?"

At Harry's nod, the corner of Draco's mouth quirked upwards. "Well then that part was for you. It's not really _new_ advice so much as it is a reiteration of information necessary for this situation." Draco stopped and blinked for a moment. "Well, that was fun to say."

Harry laughed, and punched Draco lightly on the knee. "Okay, so Snape's on our side. I knew that already."

Draco didn't respond right away, as his brain was working in high gear to come up with a plan to make this work. "Right, but we need to work that to our advantage, without making my father or Voldemort suspicious until the last moment, when it's too late." He looked up suddenly, and Harry saw an expression in the gray eyes that he used to see on the quidditch pitch, before they faced off in a big game. "We can't let them know you're here."

All thoughts of quidditch were immediately thrown from his mind. "What?"

"I'll go in alone…make them think that they have me. If I play this right, they won't suspect a thing. I'll act completely defeated, as if…as if the death of my mother was enough to completely put me under their control. And while I've got the main guys distracted, you can sneak around back and make an assessment of what we're up against."

Harry didn't answer when Draco finished talking, as he was far too busy admiring the boy's profile at the moment. He was staring towards the house, jaw set in determination and eyes sparkling with excitement and anticipation of the conflict to come.

Wondering about the sudden silence, Draco turned his head, and was surprised at the heated gaze sent his way. "Harry," he hissed. "Now is _not_ the time!" Immediately Harry shook his head, and turned to the side as a blush spread across his features.

"Sorry. Right, so I get to do reconnaissance, got it," he let out in a rush, trying to cover for the fact that he had been caught outright staring, and in such a situation no less. Then he gathered himself a bit more, and looked to Draco. "But how am I going to let you know what I find?"

"Mm, and that's the tricky part," Draco admitted, suddenly looking more serious. "You can't. Unless you've somehow learned telepathy, then we're just going to have to rely on each other to make this work."

Harry nodded, once, and looked off in the distance, biting his lip as he thought. "I know my friends aren't going to want me doing this alone…they'll probably try to find me."

"Then send them a message and tell them _not_ to act like Gryffindors," Draco replied immediately, his eyes serious despite the jab at Harry's own house.

Harry, in turn, decided not to reply because, frankly, that's exactly what they had to do. "I suppose a patronus message would be the quickest." Draco nodded, and Harry closed his eyes to pull up a happy memory. He found it wasn't hard to do at all. Simply remembering his very first kiss with Draco was enough to conjure the silver stag, and have him slightly glowing as his magic became tangible all at once. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Draco's eyebrows raised, and a look between amusement and affection sparkling in his eyes.

"Harry," Draco said with a slight quirk of the lips. "You're glowing. Stop it. Someone's bound to notice."

A slight chuckle escaped Harry's lips before he took a deep breath, and forced his magic under control. Then he concentrated on sending his message to the patronus, though before he was finished he abruptly stopped and looked at Draco. "You think we should direct them here, so they don't make a grand entrance and interrupt everything?"

There was a slight pause before Draco nodded his consent. "It's probably for the better. I'll send along my own patronus to guide them back." He quickly summoned his own – a grand, larger than average eagle – and sent it with the instructions to follow Harry's stag and guide the message's recipients back to that spot.

"Okay," Harry agreed, and finished his message, sending the stag to Hermione.

There was a short pause then as they glanced at each other, preparing themselves for a battle to come. "Ready?" Draco asked. Harry gave a sharp nod in response. Draco nodded in turn, and stood up to start walking towards the house. But he had only taken one step before he was pulled back down by his wrist. He let out a surprised yelp as Harry caught him and he landed in the other boy's lap. "Harry what–?"

And then Harry's lips were on his, almost forcefully as he pushed his tongue into the Slytherin's unresisting mouth. Draco smiled a bit in amusement, and allowed himself a moment's indulgence to eagerly kiss back before he pulled away, just far enough so that their lips barely brushed when he next spoke. "Don't kiss me like it's goodbye, Harry." And he left one more affectionate peck on Harry's hesitant smile before he got up – again – and strode away towards his father and his madman of a master.

Harry let out a deep sigh, and then almost as if someone had flipped a switch in his brain, he was in 'battle mode.' He started his own path towards the back of the dilapidated building, keeping low to hide behind bushes and trees. He stretched out his magic again, being careful to keep away from where he knew Voldemort to be. The headache was down to a dull throbbing in the back of his head now, and he had no desire to make it any worse than it had to be. Suddenly he stopped and nearly slapped his palm to his head for his momentary stupidity, and cast a disillusionment charm on himself.

Now standing up straight, Harry continued cautiously around the area. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Draco enter the house, and silently wished him luck, trying to ignore the stab of worry and guilt he felt at making Draco go in and face two of the worst people he knew alone. '_No, he's not alone…_' he corrected himself, setting his jaw as he walked further from the entrance of the house. '_I'm right here._'

And then there was no more time for thought, as a strange sound reached his ears, a soft hiss of something large and sleek stealthily sliding along through the grass. Harry froze in his steps, darting his eyes from side to side, looking for the source of the sound. And then he heard a voice, but it definitely wasn't anything human.

"_It'sss you!_" The voice hissed, and Harry's head whipped toward the sound, watching as the tongue flicked out of the mouth to taste in the air what the large snake's eyes could not see. "_The one my massster despises ssso_."

"_Nagini_," Harry hissed in a surprised tone that would have been English had he not been staring straight at the snake.

The snake was silent for a moment. "_You speak as well._"

Harry's eyes narrowed. "_Yess, you can thank your massster for that._"

"_Massster does not give giftsss,_" Nagini said, coiling up as if preparing for a strike.

Harry moved into a defensive position as well. "_Not intentionally_," He replied, watching carefully to judge what Nagini was going to do.

"_You have come to harm him,_" Nagini stated as she felt Harry's tension through the air. Harry was given no chance to reply as the snake shot forward, mouth open wide and fangs bared to strike a fatal blow.

Harry shouted a quick '_impedimentia_,' forgetting in his haste to protect himself about silent spells and acted on instinct he had been taught since his first year at Hogwarts. The snake's lunge was halted in mid-air, a rather eerie sight if one were to look upon it. He let out a breath of relief, and quickly encased the large snake in a cage made of branches bent from the tree nearest them, not bothering to wonder how he was even doing such a thing. He was starting to become accustomed to these abilities forged through his fingers that felt as if they'd always been within his ability to perform.

There was no time to be impressed with himself though, as he heard voices approaching, sounding as if they were bickering over something. Harry quickly levitated the makeshift sphere of a cage into the higher branches of the tree, and hid himself behind the trunk, even though he was still invisible.

"I'm _telling_ you I heard a shout over here!" One of the voices could be heard as two men

in dark cloaks approached.

"And I still say you're losing it, because _I_ didn't hear a thing," the other voice grumbled, sounding quite annoyed at being dragged out into the open for what he deemed to be no reason.

Harry peeked around the side of the tree, noting that the one man was looking around curiously while the other sent annoyed glares at his partner. Neither had a mask on, but Harry didn't recognize their faces. He took a breath, and sent off two stunning spells in quick succession, bringing both men down easily. Harry hid a grin as he dragged them behind the tree and cast disillusionment spells over them as well. Were they really going to make it this easy?

Tiptoeing so as not to stir the leaves and twigs at his feet more than necessary, Harry took the path he had seen the two men come from in hopes of finding more Death Eaters lurking around and awaiting a signal from their precious master. Harry nearly snorted at the thought. Weren't purebloods supposed to have some innate pride? That was what he had gathered from Draco anyway, and yet all these people groveled like unworthy peasants at the feet of a half-blood madman.

Shaking his head to clear it of unneeded thoughts, Harry realized he had come upon a smaller, older-looking building behind the first, where he could see dark figures moving around inside and one lone candle flickering on a broad wooden table. Hushed voices drifted out through the holes the building might call windows, but Harry couldn't make out any words. '_Bingo,_' he thought to himself, creeping silently around the building towards the door.

Through magic and sight, Harry counted fifteen figures in the building. A slow grin quirked a corner of his lips as he decided on how to take them out. The wooden door, which barely held its place on rusted hinges, was left halfway open, so Harry made no noise as he sidled in and pressed himself against the wall, watching as the black-robed figures seemed to be discussing something over the candlelight.

"Why are we here again?" asked a stocky, short man who looked quite bored with the entire situation.

Another man, tall and beefy and whom Harry suspected might be the father of Crabbe or Goyle spoke in answer. "In case the Malfoy brat brought an ambush with him."

"Pathetic boy," another man murmured, and Harry bristled. "Don't even know why the Dark Lord wants to take him back." Harry decided that man was to be his first target, and raised his hand to cast a spell, but he froze when another man spoke.

A snort of amusement escaped an average height, and slimmer man than the first two before he replied with obvious amusement. "Of course he doesn't want to take him back. He's wants him to prove that no one can defy him. _I _heard he might even make him his personal little bitch."

An appreciative chuckle ran through the small crowd, but Harry gasped. "Draco!" He said in a horrified whisper. Immediately all men were silent and turned towards his direction, and Harry clasped a hand over his mouth, mentally kicking himself for being such an idiot and preparing for some quick spell casting.

- - - - - -

Draco took a deep breath, and lifted his hand to knock against the weathered door that stood between him and his two least favorite people.

"Enter," said a calm voice, with a lilt of amusement beneath the tone. The slight hissing sound was, of course, unmistakable.

Gathering every amount of courage and wit he possessed, Draco pushed through the door, and was greeted by a deceptively calm impression of an afternoon cup of tea between friends. He noted Severus standing to the side through the corner of his eye, but made no move to acknowledge the man. He carefully kept his eyes downcast, and put one foot in front of the other with deliberately slow intent until he stood before the table his father and Voldemort were sitting at.

There was an almost overwhelmingly tense moment of silence before Lucius spoke. "You have changed your mind, then." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, father," Draco whispered in a voice that might have been confident on an unbroken child. An expression crossed Lucius' face that could have equally been a smile on a man more mentally sound.

Voldemort spoke next, and Draco forcefully repressed a shudder at the man's voice. "And you have realized the mistakes you have made?"

"Yes, sir," Draco answered again in the same soft, humbled voice. Oh how he hated it; he felt disgusted at himself for even _pretending_ to hold respect for these men. He was going to take a nice and long, hot bath later simply to wash away the feel of standing in their presence. He felt a probe at his mind, and schooled his features into obliviousness as he fed Voldemort the images he wanted to see. Some of which were complete lies about a falling out and a betrayal by Harry. He was a little taken aback at how painful even fake images of that were, but knew they were necessary to appease the men before him. '_Please hurry, Harry,_' he thought to himself, wanting to get away from here as soon as possible.

Voldemort sat back with a self-satisfied chuckle. "You should know Potter would never accept you. After all, you did have a hand in killing his oh-so-precious Dumbledore. You belong here, with me, and your father," the snake-like man practically purred, and Draco tried not to shiver in revulsion.

Gray eyes lifted to stare at the stoic blonde man sitting before him. "Why did you kill mother?" Draco asked, careful not to show how truly angry he was at this fact.

Equally gray – but cold as steel – eyes met his son's gaze, and a humorless smile crossed Lucius' face. "She was too defiant. She did not approve of our Lord. Her soft sentimentalities are a poison in this world, and those things must be gotten rid of."

Draco tried to keep the hate he felt practically rolling off him in waves from seeping into his eyes. Those words made him think of Harry; the boy was all about 'soft sentimentalities' and that was one of the things that Draco found most endearing about him. It was what made Draco feel so welcome in his arms. And now this man had called what he loved so dearly about his mother, and about Harry, poison to the world and Draco found himself wondering how he had ever idolized this bastardly, soulless shell of a man. "I see," he answered instead, deciding short, almost noncommittal answers were his best bet if he wanted to maintain control of himself and remain in his father's good graces for the moment.

"Draco," Severus' smooth voice cut into the conversation. "Do remember that everything happens with intended purpose. It serves one well to remember this and move past these unpleasantries." Draco swallowed, and nodded. Ha, and Harry said _he_ was good with words. Draco felt now that Severus should be the one recognized for that; in one sentence he managed to advise Draco on one side while appearing to do so on the other, and calm him enough to regain his mental composure.

Voldemort stood then, and slowly walked the few steps to where Draco stood, and ran one finger over Draco's face from his temple to his chin, almost in a reverent action. Draco froze at the man's cold touch, wondering what he intended to do with him. He tried to follow the movement with his eyes as Voldemort stepped around behind him, but snapped them to the front when the man snaked an arm around his shoulders, and slowly walked his fingers in an almost teasing motion down to his collarbone and lower as he spoke. "Of course you can not expect to come back without repercussion; you did choose to defy me, after all. But then again, belonging to _me_ is hardly a punishment at all, now is it?" he whispered, bending close to Draco's ear and laughing lowly.

Draco's eyes darted to his father, as a simple child's reflex when they're looking for escape from something that frightens them, but the man was watching with his never-changing cold gaze. He thought about just screwing the plan and attacking Voldemort right there before he managed to scar him for life, but found he didn't need to as at that moment, the far wall caved in with a huge crash, and a thundering roar echoed through the room.

- - - - - - -

"Who's there?" one of the Death Eaters called as they all scanned the wall looking for any signs of life. Harry cast a quick confundus charm on the man, who promptly changed his question to "Where am I?"

A couple of the others looked to him in confusion, and Harry took that moment to hit another guy with a stunning spell. He was about to cast more, but had to throw his body to the side as a spell was cast towards him; he had been counting on them being too distracted by the others to attack him. Cursing silently, Harry alternated between attacking and defending when spells would come his way, as all the Death Eaters had started throwing spells wildly in hopes of hitting him. '_Idiots, the lot of them,_' Harry thought with grim amusement, rolling under the table and watching as occasionally one man would get hit by another's stray curse.

Finally one of them seemed to grow some common sense, and cast a spell that Harry had never heard of before. It swept the room, and Harry's breath caught for a moment as it washed over him, and when he looked down, he realized he wasn't invisible anymore. "There!" the man who had cast the spell shouted, pointing at Harry's form crouched under the large table.

He yelped and jumped backwards as a cruciatus curse was shot towards him, and he wondered at why that particular spell had to be a favorite of all the Death Eaters. He waved his hand towards the Death Eater in question, and knocked him into the far wall, scrambling from underneath the table as he did so. Then, whip-like, a tangible chord of magic wrapped around his wrist. He stared at it in slight shock before focusing his own magic back up the chord, and zapping the owner of the wand it was attached to. The man shouted in both surprise and pain before dropping his wand.

But just as soon as that one had dropped, the other Death Eaters picked up on the idea, and soon chords of all colors were flying towards him, attempting to tie him down like a wild animal. He twisted and turned, and shot out bursts of magic to keep from being tied down, because when the chords did connect, he realized they were designed to drain a person's magic.

And somehow through the chaos, he noticed from the corner of his eye the one Death Eater and spineless servant of Voldemort's he hated most, trying to escape unseen towards an indiscreet back door hidden within the stone walls. And now the sniveling rat was no doubt going to tell his beloved master of this infiltration. Well, not if Harry could help it. He stopped struggling for just a moment, and let the snake-like whips capture him. No sooner than he felt the chords begin to drain his magic, he sent forth a wave of pure magic through them as he had done to the first guy. He was almost immediately released, and staggered one step forward as a slight wave of dizziness passed through him; the same kind that happens when you stand up too fast and the world goes dark for just a moment. As soon as it passed, though, he again turned his attention to Pettigrew, and allowed his hate for the man show through in a snarl as his body began to shift into another form.

Pettigrew turned in surprise at hearing a low rumble, and squeaked as he saw a very large tiger stalking towards him, and stumbled backwards in fright, feeling behind him for the door he knew was there.

Harry very nearly grinned, feeling the muscles of the tiger – much stronger than his own – flex beneath the sleek, dark-orange fur. He wanted to conserve his magic for now, scared of what that slight blackout earlier might have meant, and decided what better way than to ensure he couldn't use his magic. Besides, this seemed far more appropriate; a little game of cat and mouse.

They seemed to move by indication of a gunshot, as at once Pettigrew turned to run, and Harry lunged forward, letting loose a self-righteous roar as his paws connected to the man's back. And then they were through the wall, and rubble and dust came tumbling down around them. Harry sneezed as the dust irritated his more sensitive nose, but did not loose his hold on the man below him, even though he had been knocked unconscious by the blow.

"What is this?" roared a sudden voice, and all heads snapped towards Voldemort, whose hold on Draco had moved from a disturbingly loving caress to a threatening chokehold at the intrusion.

Harry's eyes widened at Draco's predicament, and narrowed when he saw the slight fear behind the front façade in the beautiful gray eyes. He crouched low, into a predator's stance, and growled at Voldemort, the sound a deep rumble in his throat.

"My, my, the world seems to have become quite the zoo, lately," drawled Lucius Malfoy as he stared at the tiger with one eyebrow raised. "First word of Potter with a fox, and now a tiger, here."

Harry's ear twitched as he half listened to Malfoy Senior, but his attention never wavered from Voldemort. What would be the best way to take him down? The low growl never stopped as Harry thought on what to do, and his claws created grooves in the stone floor as he flexed his paws, tail flicking from side to side in agitation.

"And who does this one belong to, then?" Voldemort asked, the irritation and impatience obvious in his voice. The hand that wasn't pinning Draco to him was holding his wand out towards the tiger, and Lucius had moved into a defensive position as well. Severus also pulled out his wand, but didn't quite have it aimed at any one person yet.

And then a slightly choked sounding cough came from the pile of rubble that used to be called a wall, and Pettigrew's voice wheezed out, "It's…Potter."

Immediately the atmosphere in the room changed, and Voldemort turned furious red eyes onto the oversized cat before him. "Potter?!" He hissed, and looked towards Draco. "You traitor!"

Draco, in answer, elbowed him hard in the stomach, and broke away as soon as the grip was loosened. Harry immediately seized the opportunity, and lunged forward, pinning Voldemort to the ground. He raised a paw to strike, but was forced to roll quickly to the side as Voldemort lifted his wand and, wasting no time, shouted the killing curse. It singed the fur of Harry's cheek as it flew by, and Harry took a moment to appreciate the close call as he took his normal human form again.

Though really, Harry looked no less threatening in this form than he did as a tiger. His face was still set into a snarl, and his eyes were glowing with fury and anger and hate and magic just waiting and itching to be released. In two steps Draco was at his side and together, despite being a young age, they looked quite the formidable pair. "I take it you'll tell me all about this later?" Draco muttered under his breath.

Harry's lips quirked the slightest bit, and he brushed Draco's hand with his own. "Anything you want to know." His attention was quickly brought back to the situation as he felt a shift in the air that meant a spell was heading towards him. He spun around and cast a shield in front of him just in time to knock away an interesting-looking purple spell into the far wall. Lucius obviously had no qualms about taking down a person from behind.

Taking a couple steps sideways, Harry aligned his back with Draco's, and nudged backwards with his left shoulder until Draco took the hint and they spun around, so that Harry was facing Voldemort and Draco faced his father. Draco noticed that Severus had disappeared, and he guessed that the man had gone to check what sort of damage Harry had managed in the other room.

"Just what _are _you thinking, Potter?" Voldemort asked in a tone that sounded much more amused than anything. It seems he had regained his composure after the initial shock of a tiger bursting in through the wall. "I always knew you were foolish, but this is just too much." He lifted his wand so that it pointed straight at Harry's heart, and Draco could feel the tension of the other boy's body as it pressed against his back.

"Careful _Tom_," Harry countered in a brazen voice. "You know what they say about assuming."

Voldemort hissed in rage, and Harry narrowed his eyes. "She won't be coming to help you," he said in a low voice, having understood Voldemort's call for his beloved pet snake. And Voldemort turned on him then, shouting the cruciatus curse, unsurprisingly. Harry quickly grabbed Draco's hand and tugged hard, pulling them both to the ground and out of harm's way. The curse crashed harmlessly into the wall, but there was no time to rest, as it seemed to have been the signal to fight.

Draco pulled out his own wand; he had learned wandless magic, but it wasn't quite as potent as Harry's, and at this moment he needed his magic at its strongest. He stood quickly and whirled to face his father, who was looking at him with an expression of utmost disappointment. "So this is what you have chosen?"

Eyes narrowing, Draco nodded once with absolute conviction.

"Very well," Lucius stated coolly as if it was of no consequence to him. "Then expect no mercy from me." And wasting no time, Lucius fired a spell at his son, who dodged and countered with his own, starting the first – and only – rebellion to happen within the Malfoy line.

"Don't you have some little army that should be jumping in to fight for you?" Voldemort asked almost patronizingly as he and Harry circled around each other.

Harry responded by raising an eyebrow and asked coolly, "Don't you?"

In a quick moment of surprise and realization, Voldemort's eyes darted to the room the Death Eaters had been lying in wait for an ambush, but no help was forthcoming. Harry took advantage of the distraction and fired off a quick expilliarmus. Voldemort's wand flew harmlessly several feet behind him as his hand was hit with the spell.

"I see you've been practicing," Voldemort said, as if talking to someone about a simple sport. "Though I do hope you haven't gotten any delusions about being able to beat me," he continued with a slight smirk, and raised his hand swiftly, bringing with the motion what seemed to be a wall of crackling, purplish-black magic. It swirled around him, and Harry's eyes widened as he felt that magic pushing against his own, causing it to work to protect him even when he wasn't doing anything. "After all, you aren't the only one who has learned the fine art of wandless magic."

Harry felt a warm body bump against his back, and Draco leaned his head back to say quietly in his ear, "Harry, we need to finish this quick. That's very dark magic and it feeds off light." Harry nodded in response.

"Just focus on Lucius," Harry whispered back, before launching forward into an attack on the man that's hunted him since he was a child.

Draco, likewise, focused his attention onto his own battle and shielded a spell thrown his way, casting his own seconds later. It was a bit odd, Draco thought, to come to the realization that his own father was actually aiming to kill him. Even though he had come here with the intent to do the very same, there was just something about the situation that depressed the ever-present inner-child. But of course he couldn't dwell on it, and he narrowed his eyes as he pulled a fast maneuver, rolling to dodge a curse and shooting a reducto from the ground. It hit Lucius dead on, and knocked him backwards towards the gaping hole in the wall.

Severus chose that moment to join the front room again, and raised his eyebrows as Lucius groaned and picked himself back up. Draco, though, gave the man no time to recover; he couldn't afford to. So with a quick breath to steel his nerves, he uttered the curse that would remove his father's existence from this world for good.

Draco was breathing heavily and his heart beat fast from adrenaline, and he very nearly cursed Severus as the man approached him and placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. "No regrets, Draco," he said smoothly, and Draco was glad he could always count on Severus Snape to be an effectual pillar of apathetic strength.

"It had to be done," he responded with equal emotion, before turning his eyes to Harry. His eyes narrowed somewhat as he saw how heavily Harry was breathing. He tried to step forward to join in and help, but the grip on his shoulder tightened and held him back. Draco turned a glare to Severus, but the man just pursed his lips and shook his head, and Draco frowned in both annoyance and worry as he was forced to sit back and watch.

Harry, on the other hand, knew nothing of what was happening outside of his battle, as it was taking all his concentration to avoid not only curses coming his way, but that strange wall of magic randomly lashing out as well. And much to his chagrin, it seemed to be an impenetrable barrier. After a couple minutes of throwing out useless curses, Harry stopped and stood his ground, catching his breath.

Voldemort chuckled and his red eyes glinted maliciously. "Had enough already, Potter? Ready to admit defeat?"

Harry's fist clenched and he glared back, his own vivid green eyes sparking with the heat of battle. He concentrated on his magic until he could feel its energy as it flowed through his body, and coaxed it towards his feet, and into the ground. He didn't like how its presence didn't feel as strong as it normally did in practice, but it would be enough; it had to be. "I'll never admit defeat to you," he said in return, to keep Voldemort distracted from what he was doing. "Though I must say, that's a nifty little trick, what magic is that?" he asked, and Draco had to hold in a snort of laughter at the absolutely ludicrous question in the middle of a fight, because Harry had sounded like a woman at tea time asking where her friend had bought such a lovely hat.

If Voldemort was thrown by the question, he didn't show it. "I suppose I could humor you before I kill you. It's a very advanced technique; a strong barrier that draws its energy from any source of light magic around it…like yours, for example. I'm sure you've felt its effects by now; you look quite tired."

"Just being tired has never stopped me before," Harry countered with a smirk. "Especially when I've found a weakness in my enemy's defenses." And before Voldemort could even think of a way to reply, Harry mimicked Voldemort's earlier wave of the hand, only this time he brought his own magic up from the ground, and inside Voldemort's barrier.

Voldemort shrieked as Harry's magic clashed with the barrier, causing many sparks and an almost unbearable heat. And then it seemed to meld in a strange way, and snapped inward until it was no longer a barrier, but a restraint. Harry smirked again. "Well I never quite imagined that my final battle with you would be so short, and as much as I'd love to toy with you as you have with so many others, I'd really just rather be rid of you." His eyes darkened with intent, and he lifted his hand. "_Avada Kedavra._"

It was at this point that, quite belatedly and pointlessly, Hermione and Ron arrived with several of the order members in tow. They stopped as soon as they landed the broomsticks they had taken for travel and observed the scene in both shock and amazement.

An odd silence settled over the house after Voldemort's last cry of outrage, as every person present forced themselves to come to terms with that fact that…it's _over._

A hesitant smile started across Harry's face, and he turned slowly until his back was to the former bane of his existence. He caught sight of Draco's worried gray eyes watching him intently, and the smile bloomed fully on his face. "Draco…" he whispered happily, and tried to take a step forward but stumbled.

Draco rushed forward, and caught Harry before he fell, pulling the dark haired boy to his chest and hugging him tightly. He wrapped one arm around Harry's waist, and used his free hand to lift Harry's chin. "You've done it, Harry," he said softly, and bent his head, placing a gentle and loving kiss on the hero's lips. He laughed when Harry's attempts to respond ended up somewhat sloppy in his exhaustion and pulled away, kissing the shorter boy's nose lightly before releasing him. Then he turned so that his back faced Harry and braced one knee on the ground. "Come on then, I don't trust you to walk right now if you can't even kiss properly."

Harry laughed a bit and hit Draco lightly on the back of the head in retaliation, before wrapping his arms around his lover's neck and his legs around his waist. Draco placed his arms beneath Harry's knees and hoisted him up, smiling when Harry rested his chin on his shoulder and whispered a soft '_thanks_' into his ear. Not to say that Draco was unscathed and unharmed, as he was sure his hip would bruise from where he had rolled on it earlier, and he sported a few cuts over his arms and chest. But it was nothing he couldn't easily deal with until they arrived back at the school.

As it was, when he turned he was faced with a rather shocked looking group of people. "What?" he asked defensively, his grip unconsciously tightening on Harry.

"You…you kissed him," Ron said in a voice that sounded like the actual reality of it hadn't quite caught up with him yet.

Draco returned the words with a deadpan stare. "Weasley…Harry just defeated one of the most feared dark wizards of all time…and all you can focus on is that I _kissed_ him?"

Harry chuckled and turned a lopsided grin to Ron. "I was going to tell you all after this was over, anyway."

"You were?" Draco asked, sounding a tiny bit miffed.

"Mmhm," Harry hummed, his eyes drifting shut as he started to completely feel the effects of his drained magic.

"And don't I get a say in that?" Draco countered, but Harry didn't respond, and Draco was left to simply roll his eyes.

"So he really…he's done it?" McGonagall spoke up reverently, stepping forward to observe the body of Voldemort, singed by his own and Harry's combined magic.

Draco nodded, and Snape stepped up to address Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had also come along. "He also managed to knock out the rest of the Death Eaters that were waiting to attack. I've tied them up to ensure they don't escape; I suggest you do something with them."

"Don't forget the disillusioned ones and Nagini by a tree outside," Harry called.

Kingsley only took a moment to look surprised, and then with an appreciative nod, he beckoned Tonks to help him take the Death Eaters to the ministry. Snape joined McGonagall, and they began discussing what should be done with Voldemort's body, and Ron and Hermione walked over to Draco and Harry.

"Congratulations," Hermione said with a smile, addressing them both. Draco, slightly surprised that she had included him, gave a nod to show his appreciation.

"Harry," a soft voice spoke from behind the two, and Harry blinked his eyes open and looked above his two best friends' heads, a smile quickly forming on his lips.

"Remus!"

Remus Lupin smiled back, and reached forward to ruffle Harry's hair, while Draco looked on with one eyebrow raised in amusement as Harry laughed and tucked his head behind Draco's. "How are you holding up?" he finally asked, pulling his hand back and stepping back.

"'m tired," he mumbled, again resting his chin on Draco's shoulder. "And my back and head hurt…but 'm okay."

"Quite an amazing feat you pulled today," Remus said, allowing the respect he had for Harry's new powers to show through his voice.

Harry smiled, and with his eyes still closed, tilted his head so that his forehead rested against Draco's cheek. "Couldn't have done it without Draco," he said simply, and Draco felt an unwanted blush rising in his cheeks. Something that sounded like a half disturbed groan came from Ron's direction.

When Draco looked up, he noticed that Remus' amber eyes were studying him intently, and he almost jumped. But he did not look away; he had a feeling this man was close to Harry, and he felt like this was a time to prove himself. Finally Remus seemed to find what he had been looking for, because he smiled gently, and rested his hand atop Draco's head. "You take good care of him, okay?" Draco blinked, and could only think to nod at the unfamiliar action and the unexpected words.

Harry on the other hand looked a bit exasperated, and rolled his eyes. "_Remus_, I'm right here, you know."

The werewolf chuckled. "I know, pup. Now come on, we should get you back to Hogwarts and to Madame Pomfrey," he said as he reached forward to take Harry with him. "I can apparate us to the gates and–"

He cut off as Harry made some unintelligible noise that went something like "Mmn Ngh!" and tightened his grip on Draco, who coughed and managed a laugh at the same time.

"Harry?"

"Back off Lupin, he's choking me!"

Hermione suddenly burst into giggles, and then in a fit of emotion, leapt forward and wrapped her arms around both Harry and Draco. Ron's jaw dropped, and Draco wouldn't be surprised if he bore a similar expression. "Oh I'm so glad you're okay!" she cried, tightening her grip to assure herself they were still there.

Harry grinned crookedly, and lifted a hand to pat Hermione somewhat awkwardly on the back. "'Course we are, 'Mione," he said as she backed off with an awkward blush and a watery smile.

Ron cleared his throat, and said slowly, "Can we go back to the castle now?"

"You know you're going to have to regale us with full details, later," Remus said to Harry, who nodded his response. "Now then," his voice suddenly turned more serious. "We'll all apparate back to Hogsmeade, and go back into Hogwarts from there. I do believe this occasion is deserving of a feast! I will arrange it all with McGonagall, now let's get going; you boys look like you could use a bit of a nap."

Draco rolled his eyes good-naturedly. A _nap_ was a bit of an understatement. Though he hadn't exhausted himself quite as much as Harry, he still felt like he could sleep for a day at least. He was sure that, during the last bit of Harry's fight against Voldemort, he had drawn on some of Draco's own magic to aid him. "Well, what are we waiting for, then?" And with a turn of his heel, he and Harry were gone, and in an instant had reappeared at the station in Hogsmeade. Two pops followed and Ron and Hermione arrived. And only a couple minutes later, Remus, McGonagall and Snape were there with him.

There was an obvious tension in the air directly attributed to Snape's presence, but Draco figured those explanations could wait. Without a word to anybody, he started walking back towards the castle, since nobody else was moving. He soon heard them following though, and discussing in low voices about some celebration to be held in the Great Hall.

"Draco?" Harry called quietly from his shoulder, and Draco smiled as the boy's breath tickled his neck.

"Yeah?" he responded, just as softly.

"It's really over, isn't it?"

Draco's smile grew as he realized that, yes, it was over. All of it. The fear, the running, just everything. "Yes, Harry. Yes it is. Both of our chains have been broken." Harry sighed happily at that, wondering what it would be like to live life without constantly looking over his shoulder.

They walked a moment longer in silence before one of them spoke again. "Harry?"

"Hm?"

"When were you going to tell me about your animagus?"

Harry blinked as he thought, but soon responded. "You knew."

"What?"

"When I first started teaching you how to find your form, and you said it sounded like I was speaking from experience. Well, obviously now, I was."

Draco rolled his eyes. "That doesn't mean I _knew_. Besides, you said it was because of your father and godfather. Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I'm…not sure. I guess I'd just always kept it secret…I didn't want it getting out that I was an unregistered animagus, and I was sort of saving it as an element of surprise, just like my wandless magic."

"You know I would've kept it a secret, Harry."

Harry tightened his arms minutely around Draco's chest, and reached up to lay a gentle kiss just below his ear. "Don't sound so betrayed, Draco. I guess that, in light of everything else going on, I just never thought to bring it up. It wasn't because I don't trust you."

Draco sighed, and nodded. "I know." And then a decidedly mischievous grin spread across his face. "I guess you'll just have to make it up to me later then, won't you?"

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head, but still he couldn't stop the amused smile. "We'll see, Draco," he responded patronizingly as they entered the doors that led into the grand entryway of Hogwarts.

Their quest had taken but a few hours, and it was now nearing dinnertime in the castle. Students walking to and from class stopped as they caught sight of Harry Potter being carried by a person who, as far as they knew, was last seen as a Death Eater. Immediately the whispers started, and Harry groaned as he buried his face in Draco's hair. Draco simply kept his gaze forward and continued walking, slightly amused at how the crowd parted before him as he made his way to the hospital wing. He was sure they made quite the sight, as he looked a little worse-for-wear, and Harry was near knocked-out.

The others soon followed in behind him, and Draco heard vaguely as McGonagall caught the students attention, and told them not to bother Harry or Draco, and that everything would be explained at dinner that day.

And finally they reached the hospital wing, and Pomfrey was immediately at their side, fussing and asking questions and directing them to two of the pristine white hospital beds. Apparently she had been told to prepare, as none of her questions pertained to _why_ they were in this condition, only how they felt.

He noticed Harry's amused smile as he set them down on the bed, and raised an eyebrow in question.

Harry shook his head. "She's always fussy like this. Just brings back a bunch of memories," he muttered, and Draco laughed.

Then he bent down and laid a kiss on Harry's forehead. "Well she's not the only one who can fuss, now get some sleep; you've earned a rest."

"Mm," Harry agreed noncommittally as his eyes again drifted shut. But as Draco stood to leave, Harry's hand shot forward and grasped Draco's within his own, and tugged him backwards onto the bed. "You stay," he mumbled, and Draco smiled, lifting his free hand and running it through the mussed black locks.

"Always," he whispered back, not paying attention as Ron and Hermione and Severus walked forward to check on their condition, and refusing to move as Pomfrey tried to move him to his own bed.

She finally gave in to his stubborn demand to stay put, and treated his wounds there, while giving Harry a few potions to help his body recover from the abnormal amounts of stress he had put it under that day. And after assuring his friends that the boy would be fine, and Snape went off to talk to Pomfrey, Draco left one more light kiss on Harry's lips, and transformed into his familiar fox form. He crawled on top of Harry's chest and curled up there, blanketing the boy he'd grown to love in a soft warmth, and smiled to himself when Harry subconsciously reached up to rub his ears, and they were both soon lulled into a deep, and exhausted, sleep.

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**A/N:** Well I hope the battle didn't seem to rushed or anything. As it obviously is not the focal point of this story, I didn't deem it necessary to put all that much focus onto the fight.

So now the threat is gone, and our boys are free to be themselves. Ain't it grand? So next chapter(s?) will probably be just a bunch of fluffy happy stuff. So look forward to that. .:grins:.

ALSO! I am sorry for the longer updating time, but you can probably expect that more regularly now. School started last Monday, and even the first week I was loaded with work! So with far less free time, I'm left with less time to write, but I promise I'll try my best. (As always reviews help!) Also, hope you enjoyed my longest chapter yet!


	11. A Little Bit of Fluff and Fun

**Disclaimer:** We've already established the fact that I don't own Harry Potter. This one is for the little poem excerpt from "To a Little Invisible Being Who is Expected Soon to Become Visible" by Anna Letitia Barbauld

Yeah, I wanted a bit of poetry –you'll see why- so I just decided to randomly look through my lit book (which is full of poetry) and lo and behold! Near the beginning even. So yeah, just wanted to throw that in there.

And a quick thank you to my new beta, 13thMoonWitch!

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**Chapter 11: A Little Bit of Fluff and Fun**

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Harry was woken not so subtly by a myriad of voices. Blearily, he opened his eyes, and was greeted by the familiar white of the infirmary of Hogwarts. And by the light drifting in through the windows, he would guess it was sometime in the late morning. After a very brief moment of wondering what he had done to land himself here _again_, a sudden thrill ran through him as he remembered the circumstances.

Finally he turned his head to the right, where all the commotion was coming from, and managed an amused smile at what seemed to be half the population of the school trying to get through the doors and into the infirmary. The doors were opened, but the entire mass of students was stopped a few feet in by a wall formerly known as Draco Malfoy.

He stood with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face as he told the other students that under no circumstances was he going to allow them through, because Harry needed to rest. Harry wondered at why they weren't simply pushing past him, until one student, a younger year, moved to walk forward, and was literally stopped in his tracks by an invisible barrier. Harry laughed as he saw the student stumble backwards a couple of steps and cross his eyes as if trying to see what had stopped him.

Draco whirled around at the noise, and Harry was greeted with the loveliest sight of that smile Draco reserved just for him. Harry smirked and raised his hand, causing the doors to shut slowly and all of the students to be pushed back out into the hallways.

In a few quick strides, Draco was at his side, grabbing his wrist and laying a light kiss on his palm. "Should you be using your magic right now? You were drained pretty thoroughly." He muttered with his eyebrow furrowed, and Harry smiled at the image.

"It's okay. I already feel better, and I'm not dumb enough to kill myself by exhausting my own magic."

With a frown, Draco responded, "You almost did yesterday."

Harry rolled his eyes, and pulled Draco down for a light, reassuring kiss. "Quit exaggerating things. Besides, yesterday I was fighting. I didn't have much of a choice."

Draco sighed resignedly, and nodded. Then in a sudden movement, he bent and wrapped his arms tightly around Harry, holding him against his chest as if his very life depended on it.

Harry, at a loss for both words and air, brought his arms up around Draco's shoulders and hugged him lightly, wondering what had suddenly gotten into his companion.

"I kept thinking about it, you know?" Draco said eventually, loosening his hold but not letting go. "I know it's stupid, since it's all done and he's gone and it's _over_, but I kept thinking about everything that could have happened. And I realized that…now that I've found you, I don't know what I would do without you. And I_ hate_ being dependent; I've spent all my life avoiding just that, and now look at me. It's ridiculous! But—"

With a slight chuckle, Harry reached up and stopped Draco's ramblings with a firm kiss; the feeling of Draco's soft lips against his own was something he was sure he would never tire of. After a few timeless moments, Harry pulled back and stared straight at Draco's eyes, a faint blush forming over his cheeks. "Draco…love isn't dependency. It's simply coexistence. To desire another's presence is not a weakness."

Draco stared at him for a long time, expressionless, and Harry wondered if he might have gone over some invisible line with that. But then Draco smiled and Harry's worries were immediately banished somewhere far away. The blonde lowered his head and nuzzled Harry's cheek. "Pretty words for a Gryffindor."

Harry smirked flippantly at that. "Well, we are known for blunt honesty and ill-concealed emotions. Speaking of…Draco…could I…I mean, can I call you my boyfriend?"

Again the stare, and Harry thought he might just poke Draco's eye in annoyance before the Slytherin suddenly started laughing. Not just a chuckle either; he snorted, and fell to his side with unrestrained mirth.

Harry, quite affronted, moved to sit up and ask what was so damn funny, but his movements were restricted as Draco held him fast to the bed with one arm. Harry scowled and crossed his arms, turning his head to the opposite side and staring at the far wall.

Eventually Draco was able to regain control over his amusement, and looked to Harry with a smile still on his face. "Harry…" He laid a kiss just below Harry's ear, and then on his cheek, and then moved so that he was half lying on top of the boy and kissed the tip of his nose. "I'm sorry Harry, but…after all this time; all we've been through, said, and done…and you have to _ask_?"

Pushing his lower lip into a pout, Harry met Draco's eyes again, and had to admit that it almost did seem a bit silly. "Well…when you've had a life like mine, you just like to be sure of things." He said somewhat defensively.

Draco's eyes softened as he thought of that, but just as quickly they were filled with a wicked gleam, and Harry was suddenly quite worried. The Slytherin hopped off the bed and dropped to his knee beside it, and with a grand wave of his arms, began speaking in an overly exaggerated voice.

_What powers lie folded in thy curious frame,—  
Senses from objects locked, and mind from thought!  
How little canst thou guess thy lofty claim  
To grasp at all the worlds the Almighty wrought!_

And then he stopped with a grin, and hoisted himself up so that he was perched on the edge of the bed, and Harry could do nothing but stare dumbly for several seconds; it seems the tides had been turned on that particular habit. "Draco…" he finally managed. "What the _hell_?"

Draco blinked back. "What? I thought it fit. With your powers, and _not thinking_ obviously, and of course your lofty claim of _me_." He finished, puffing his chest outward proudly.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "How you _ever_ became the claimed leader of Slytherin, I will never know."

Draco smirked and raised an eyebrow. "It's all about the presentation, Harry." Then he let himself fall backwards, causing Harry to grunt in annoyance as the blonde landed across his stomach. Without even a real conscious awareness of the action, Harry lifted his hand and began running it through the silky blonde strands that lay spread across his abdomen. "And just in case you didn't pick up on it," Draco said with a sigh of contentment as he closed his eyes, "Of_ course_ you can call me your boyfriend, as I'd quite like to call you mine."

Harry closed his own eyes as he let Draco's acceptance, and yesterday's events sink into his consciousness and fill him with a sense of relief and lightness he hadn't even known he was missing; and what a feeling it was! Then, out of curiosity, he asked, "Where did those lines come from anyway?"

Draco smiled in a way that was both amused and bitter. "Father always did tell me I have the most exceptional talent for remembering the most useless drivel. That was just part of a random poem I read once. I really wasn't aware I remembered it until just now."

Harry shook his head at that. "Always full of surprises aren't you."

"Mm, wouldn't want to bore you this early in the relationship, now would I?" he asked cheekily. Harry's hand tightened in his hair for just a moment, and when he turned his head to yell at him for that, he found the words quickly fleeing his mind as he saw Harry grinning madly at the ceiling. So instead he just lay his head back down with a soft smile of his own, and they stayed there for a few minutes before the sound of footsteps originating from Pomfrey's office alerted them to another presence. Draco reluctantly sat up as Pomfrey, along with Snape and Professor McGonagall, walked up to them.

"Good to see you're awake, Mr. Potter." Pomfrey said kindly, and Harry smiled at her in turn.

"So how long was I out this time?"

Pomfrey smiled at him and idly fluffed his pillow. "Don't worry dear, you only slept through the night. Honestly I'm surprised you're awake this early, even. Now, how do you feel?"

Harry took a moment before responding, then shrugged. "I feel fine. Still a little tired, but otherwise normal." He explained as she ran her wand over him a couple of times, performing a diagnosis only she knew.

"And how are you doing, Draco?" Severus asked suddenly, obviously displeased that the healer seemed to be ignoring him.

Draco gave a nod to acknowledge his former professor and mentor. "I'm fine as well." He answered simply, indicating both his physical and mental stance at once. He felt a warm hand close around his own, and turned a smile towards Harry. "Really, I am." He affirmed. His eyes darkened for a moment as he thought of his mother, but a gentle squeeze on his hand brought him back. Of course that was going to be a hard event to get over, but at least he had Harry for support. When he turned his attention forward again, he was greeted by the raised eyebrow of Snape, and the furrowed brow of McGonagall.

"This is a new development." Snape said coolly, and Draco almost laughed.

"Not really." He answered instead, and a look of understanding passed across Snape's onyx eyes, and Draco smiled in return.

Harry looked back and forth between the two, wondering what sort of silent conversation was going on between the lines, before giving it up altogether. Who knows what went on in their minds? So Harry, deciding he had had enough of the silence, looked to McGonagall and asked, "So I take it everybody knows about Voldemort now?" though he already knew the answer, if the mass of students trying to get through the doors before was any indication.

McGonagall smiled indulgently at the question. "Yes, Harry, they all know."

Harry nodded seriously. "In that case I suggest you do a bit of damage control in the hallways." Then he grinned and Draco couldn't stop the small snort of amusement.

Snape lifted an eyebrow in curiosity, and strode over to the doors. Harry released the magic that was holding them shut, and Snape pulled the handle. There was a short burst of noise as a silencing charm was released as well before everyone fell quiet as they noticed the scowling potions master. He held back a smirk at the instant fear in the students' eyes. "Are any of you injured, sick, incapacitated or otherwise in need of a healer's assistance?"

More silence, then a third year near the back raised her hand. "Um, I'm supposed to pick up a potion for my throat…?" her timid voice ended more as a question than a statement.

Snape resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Very well. You, in." he pointed to her, then behind him to the infirmary, and she scuttled past him. "As for the rest of you, go find ways to entertain yourselves; I will see no harassing of either Mr. Potter _or_ Mr. Malfoy, understood?" The mass of students nodded silently. "Well then, off with you!" And they all nearly tripped over one another in their haste to get away.

The infirmary doors were closed again with a thud, and Snape walked back to his former position with the other occupants of the room. The girl there to pick up her potion stared at them from a distance as Pomfrey went into the back to retrieve what she needed.

"Can you teach me that, Professor?" Harry asked suddenly.

Snape turned his gaze towards him, but otherwise showed no expression. "Teach you what?"

"How to scare everyone away like that!" He replied. "That could really come in handy sometime."

Draco cuffed him lightly around the head, to which Harry replied with an indignant 'hey!' "Don't be a smart-ass, Harry." he supplied, and Harry glared at him, which of course Draco ignored.

Snape sighed in annoyance, but Draco could detect the hint of amusement behind his expression. "Well, now that we know everyone came back relatively unscathed, I have far more important things to do than watching you two." He whirled around and walked towards the doors again. But just before he reached them, he stopped and half turned so that he could see the boys over his shoulder. "Oh, and Potter?"

"Yeah?" Harry responded with a slight cringe, expecting some sort of jibe or insult, or maybe even awaiting house points to be taken for some reason or another. He wasn't prepared for what came out of the man's mouth, though.

"Thanks." Then with a flutter of robes he was gone, and Harry was left gaping at the doors.

Harry hadn't really expected to receive any acknowledgment from his spiteful potions master at all, and he felt like maybe he could forgive him just a little bit easier. Draco smiled as he reached over and lifted Harry's jaw with two fingers. Harry blushed and looked down in slight embarrassment.

McGonagall cleared her throat, and waited until the boys' attention was directed towards her. Pomfrey joined them again as she sent the other student away with her potion. "Now then, as you know, I announced to the school your accomplishments at dinner last night. Classes were cancelled for today as a sort of celebration. I have also arranged a feast for dinner tonight to be held in honor of you both."

Draco's eyes took on an interesting gleam at the news. A feast to honor him? That sounded like fun! But then Harry fidgeted awkwardly and he looked over to the boy with a slight frown.

McGonagall, not quite noticing Harry's demeanor, continued on with a slight smile. "I'm very proud of you boys; you're both quite the heroes. And as much as I would love to stay and hear all about what happened, I am afraid there is indeed much work to be done. So rest up you two, and I will see you at dinner."

When she was gone, Pomfrey ran one last check over the both of them, and nodded to herself in satisfaction. "You're lucky you came out as well as you did. You are free to go whenever you please." She said with a smile, and tottered back to her office to sort out some paperwork.

Draco sighed in relief and stood, stretching as if he'd been forced in an uncomfortable position for a long time. "Finally. Come on, Harry." He said and held out his hand.

Harry took it and allowed himself to be pulled up. He smiled at Draco and leaned against him for a moment, entwining their fingers and resting his head against Draco's shoulder. "Sure you want to go out there?" he muttered with an obvious note of trepidation in his voice.

Draco chuckled in response, reaching up his other hand to ruffle the dark hair. "We're going to have to face them sooner or later, you know." When Harry looked at him worriedly, Draco rolled his eyes. "I know perfectly well what they all think of me, and there's nothing I can do about it except show them I'm not the monster they think I am."

"Of course you're not a monster!" Harry immediately protested, and Draco sighed exasperatedly.

"I know that, and you know that. But remember what you thought of me before this summer?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

Harry looked down, properly abashed, and nodded. "Yeah, I know, I— sorry."

Draco just laughed, and kissed Harry's forehead. "Think before you speak, love. It might help." Harry pouted, but got no chance to reply as Draco tugged on his hand and led him out of the infirmary. The hall outside the doors was blessedly empty now, and Draco headed left and up the stairs.

"We're going to the tower?" Harry asked as he recognized the familiar path.

"For all the garish red and obnoxiously loud occupants, it does have very comfortable furniture." Draco replied as an answer. He could feel that Harry was putting just a little more weight against him than he should be as they walked, and he couldn't deny that a simple nap with his boyfriend sounded like a lovely way to pass the afternoon.

"From one resting place to another then, eh?" Harry asked in such a way that sounded as if the simple idea bored him.

"There will be plenty of time for more physical activities later, but for now I still think you should rest." Draco said definitively as they walked up the staircase that led to Gryffindor tower.

Harry blushed at the double entendre that he found in the way Draco had emphasized the word 'physical' and wondered if he had done it on purpose, or if he was just imagining things. So instead he answered simply, "Yes, _mother_."

Draco smirked as he gave the password to the portrait, as he'd heard it many times as a fox, and stepped inside. He stopped rather quickly, though, only a few steps in when all the occupants of the room turned to him with either suspicious stares, or outright glares. Harry, obviously not paying attention as usual, ran straight into his back.

"Draco, why'd you st-…oh." Harry trailed off as he looked around the room. He huffed in annoyance at the behavior of his house, and stepped forward so that he was standing in front of Draco and crossed his arms. A feeling of déjà vu passed through him as he remembered standing up to his friends like this before, but he brushed it away. He raised an eyebrow and waited for the first person to inevitably speak what was on everyone's minds.

"Harry, how can you bring that Death Eater in here?" one of them asked, a fifth or sixth year if he had to guess.

Harry's eyes narrowed at the boy that had spoken, but he wouldn't fault him for being ignorant. He could still be angry though, as he felt Draco stiffen at the accusation behind him. "Two things." Harry stated, and his voice had taken on that quality that always appeared when he stepped into the role of the leader everyone made him out to be. "One," and here he held up his index finger. "Draco never was, nor will he ever be, a Death Eater. Two, McGonagall told me that she told all of _you_ that Draco had just as much a part in Voldemort's downfall as I did. He is just as much, no, _more_ of a hero than you say I am if for no other reason than he defied his own _father_ to do what was right."

Behind him, Draco cleared his throat, and stepped forward so that they were standing shoulder to shoulder. "If I may," he stated in a strong voice, and immediately all eyes snapped to him. "The situation surrounding my disappearance after the headmaster's death was…complicated. Long story short, I didn't want to take the Dark Mark, so I ran away and went into hiding. You all might know me as a lovable little fox named Arabel." He finished with a smirk, and flicked at the collar that still rested snugly about his neck. He watched in satisfaction as eyes all around the room widened; some looked angry and some looked amused. Others looked a little bit lost.

"Right then," Harry interrupted the various thoughts, "now that that's been settled, I expect there will be no harassing Draco?" It wasn't a question, and the house members shook their heads. "Good. I would expect you all to inform any others that show contempt towards him as well. The war is over and I'd rather like it to stay that way." And just like that his speech was over, and he directed Draco towards the fireplace, where Ron and Hermione sat, by a warm hand on his back.

Harry's two best friends were sitting on a loveseat, and Harry took a seat in the middle of the puffy couch across from them, with Draco settling himself to his right.

"Nice speech." Hermione said with a somewhat mischievous grin.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Well they were all being typical prejudiced Gryffindors." Draco raised an eyebrow at that and Harry ignored it. "What exactly _did_ McGonagall say at dinner yesterday, anyway?"

Ron answered before Hermione had a chance to reply. "Lucky you weren't there, mate. She went on for twenty minutes about you two, and about how old snake-man is dead and Malfoy Sr. too, then she went on to talk about the 'bright future ahead' and how we should all show the both of you the proper respect you deserve, and that it should be understood that Malfoy's not evil."

Draco rolled his eyes and Harry chuckled. "Glad I was asleep, then."

"Yes and it seems her tactic of persuading everyone to love me worked _so_ well."

"She wasn't persuading everyone to love you, Draco." Harry muttered with amusement, and smiled innocently at Draco's subsequent half-hearted glare.

"Be that as it may, whatever she said obviously didn't work, if your house is anything to go by."

"Give it time Draco, remember that when you left the school, you were in fact seen as a Death Eater. Of course, seeing you with Harry will help immensely, I'm sure." Hermione cut in with a smile. Draco's attention snapped to her, and he leveled a calculating gaze on her for several moments, before nodding and quirking his lips into the slightest hint of a smile.

"I know." He answered simply.

Conversation stopped for a moment, and Harry yawned widely. "I'll be really glad when my energy restores itself…" he grumbled, and fell sideways so that his head rested on Draco's lap.

Draco chuckled in reply. "Soon enough." He said lightly, and began playing with the boy's dark strands of hair.

"So, you two are…_together_, then?" Ron asked as if he wanted to know yet feared the answer.

Draco allowed a smirk to cross his face. "Do you remember our discussion, Weasley?" he asked pleasantly, as if that discussion hadn't involved threats and insults and shoving people against walls.

Ron's brow furrowed, and he answered hesitantly. "Yes…"

"Then the obvious answer to your question really shouldn't be all that surprising."

Ron grimaced as he realized that Malfoy was right. If he hadn't been so caught up in emotions at the time, he might have taken more care to analyze what Malfoy had been saying. "So…you're not leaving anytime soon then, are you?" Ron muttered in a defeated tone.

Draco barked out a laugh at that, while Hermione hit him lightly on the shoulder and scolded him. Harry smiled from his place in Draco's lap. "Sorry Ron, but he's not going anywhere."

Ron muttered something unintelligible, and Draco looked down at Harry with a mockery of an offended frown. "Do you claim to own me, Harry Potter?"

Now it was Harry's turn to raise an eyebrow, and he reached up, hooking one finger under the collar around Draco's neck. He pulled until Draco's face hovered just above his. "Shall I add a tag with my name?" he muttered in a low voice and Draco shivered, blinking in surprise. And wasn't that just a sudden change in attitude? No matter, he could play along.

"Only if you can live up to your claim." He whispered back, and pressed his lips against Harry's in a parody of passion and a declaration of affection.

Harry smiled into the kiss, until they heard a poorly disguised 'eurgh' from the couch across from them. They broke apart in time to catch Hermione elbowing Ron in the ribs, and Harry laughed.

"What?" Ron complained, rubbing his side and looking as if he'd been greatly wounded.

Hermione gave him a slightly reproachful glare, and Harry smiled at them both. "It's alright Hermione. I probably would've had the same sort of reaction, were our roles reversed."

"Okay, ew!" Draco cut in, making a face at the thought of Weasley in his lap instead of Harry. Holding back a laugh, Harry reached up and smacked Draco playfully on the shoulder.

"Stop imagining weird things." He scolded, and Hermione giggled.

"I think it's cute." She said, and all three turned to look at her with strange expressions. "What?" she asked, suddenly defensive. "I've just never seen Harry look so happy." She said by way of explanation, and Harry blushed as the attention was turned to him.

Draco laughed as Harry turned his face down in an attempt to hide. "Aww, Granger, I think you've embarrassed him."

"Shut up, Draco." Harry grumbled, though Draco's robes effectively muffled the sound. Draco reached down and rubbed his boyfriend's neck affectionately, and rested his own head back against the couch.

"Bloody hell, I'll never get used to that." Ron groaned, though there was no real conviction behind the words. In fact, Harry was happy to hear that his best friend sounded resigned, if anything. At least that meant he would tolerate this relationship, even if he didn't necessarily like it.

A fairly comfortable silence fell over the group after that. Hermione plucked a schoolbook from a pile sitting in front of them on a table, while Ron engaged himself in a game of chess next to her. Draco decided not to ponder on that one for any longer than necessary, and closed his eyes, soaking up the warmth from the fireplace near them, and the head of the now sleeping boy in his lap.

It was another ten minutes before a disturbance by way of a tapping on the far window interrupted them. Draco looked on in curiosity as a younger year went to open the window for the seemingly impatient bird, and his eyes widened as he recognized the Eastern screech owl. He held up his arm, and the family bird glided to perch on his wrist. "Hey there." He said softly to the bird, reaching up to run his hand over the feathers on its head. "I thought I'd lost you for good." He moved the bird so that it would perch on the armrest of the couch, and untied the parchment from its leg.

Decidedly ignoring the poorly hidden curious stares from Ron and Hermione, Draco unrolled the parchment and glanced through it, then reread to make sure he hadn't missed anything.

_Draco Malfoy,_

_In recognition of your recent act of heroism in the aid of the fall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and in the death of Lucius Malfoy, the Ministry has decided to drop all charges against your name as former suspicions of Death Eater activity._

_Furthermore, as you are now the last living heir to the Malfoy name, all of the Malfoy vaults, estates, and heirlooms have been turned over to you, and all possessions suspended by the ministry have been released. Please stop by Gringotts at your earliest convenience to sign for these possessions. _

_Sincerely,  
-Minister of Magic_

A pleased grin spread across Draco's face as he reread the letter through, and rolled it up again, slapping it against his palm in excitement. Harry jolted awake at the noise, and looked up at Draco through bleary eyes. "Draco, wha-…?" he mumbled sleepily.

Draco's eyes locked onto Harry's own half-opened ones, and smirked down at him. "Sorry love, didn't mean to wake you. But I've got a quick errand to run, I'll be back soon, okay?" He didn't actually give Harry a chance to respond as he bent down, kissed him soundly on the lips, and then stood after gently removing Harry's head from his lap. He tucked the letter from the ministry into his robe pockets, and strode out of the common room. At the moment he decided to ignore exactly_ why_ he had come into his family's fortune, and exactly how he had gone about ensuring it. He counted himself lucky, even, that he had gotten to his father before the man managed to actually disown him. But now was not the time for such thoughts; he had an appointment with a goblin to attend to.

Harry blinked dazedly at the ceiling for a moment before turning to his friends. "Do either of you know what that was about?"

They both slowly shook their heads, looking just as confused. The owl that had been sitting on the couch's armrest hooted once and flew back out the window. Ron just shrugged. "We don't know anything more than you do, mate. He just got a letter, got some weird grin on his face, got up and left. He looked like he was up to something."

Hermione rolled her eyes at that. "You always think he's up to something."

"Well he is!"

"Come on, Ronald, he's obviously with Harry now, and you can't just go accusing him of—"

"Actually Hermione," Harry cut in before she could go off on a rant. "He's got a point there." He grinned at the two very surprised looks sent his way. "What? Good or not, he's still Draco, and he's still a Slytherin. I'm not going to deny that."

This time Hermione rolled her eyes at them both and went back to her book with a huff, while Ron turned to his one-sided chess game looking very triumphant.

Harry just chuckled, and turned so that he was facing the back of the couch, allowing his eyes to drift shut again. He would definitely be glad when he regained this energy.

- - - - - -

Draco strolled through the hallways, noticing more heads turning his way than usual, and several people tried in vain to get his attention. He realized not all the looks were good ones, and there were a fair amount of suspicious glances sent his way, but for the most part, everybody seemed to be turning a blind eye to his past discretions. Just like the ministry had done in returning his belongings. He rolled his eyes at that. Was the entire wizarding world made of Gryffindors? One heroic deed and suddenly you can do no wrong?

But then again, the Gryffindors hadn't been the most receptive of him. Only after their beloved leader had told them what to think had they accepted his presence without question. He snorted, half in amusement, and half in annoyance. Could nobody think for themselves anymore?

With a heavy sigh, Draco decided to drop the topic from his mind. It didn't matter what other people thought anyway. He had Harry now, so what significance were any others? A small smile lifted his lips as he rounded a corner, but it was wiped off just as quickly as this hallway led him straight to Pansy, Blaise and of course, Crabbe and Goyle. He immediately adopted his 'Prince of Slytherin' pose; rather an effect of ingrained habit than the thought that it would do him any good now.

"Drakey-poo!" Pansy exclaimed when she looked up and noticed him, and Draco felt his left eye twitch.

"Don't call me that." He muttered, though with a dangerous edge. He really did not feel like messing with her random mood changes at the moment.

"Is it true, what McGonagall said?" She asked, plowing on and ignoring his request as usual.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well I suppose that would depend on what she said, wouldn't it? "I wasn't exactly there, you know."

"Don't play dumb, Draco." Blaise replied with a frown.

"I'm not playing dumb, dear Blaise." Draco drawled, raising a brow. "She merely gave Harry and me an overview; she said the school had been informed of the events that went on yesterday."

"So…you really killed your own _father_?" Pansy asked much more quietly, and like she couldn't quite believe it. "But…how could you? Not only did you turn your back on all of _us_, but you _killed_ your father too? And for what? To be with _Potter_?" Her voice grew until her pitch became almost shrill.

Draco turned to her with a snarl, and it took all he had not to completely lose his composure and just yell at her as he felt the anger bubbling within his chest. "I didn't do it for Harry. I did it for myself. That wretched man got far less than he deserved and a merciful death. He killed my _mother_, Pansy!"

The girl gasped, and looked rightfully abashed as she noticed the pain within Draco's anger. "That's terrible…" she whispered, averting her gaze to the ground.

"But you abandoned us all before that happened, Draco, if you remember." Blaise cut in, folding his arms over his chest and glaring at their former unofficial leader. "You ran away like a _coward_ to Perfect Potter and friends. _That's_ why your mother died Draco. Because you _betrayed_ her."

Draco growled, and fisted his hand into the front of Blaise's robes and slammed the boy into the wall, quite enjoying watching the Italian wince as he hit the hard stone. His voice came out in a low hiss as he fixed Blaise with a look that promised pain if provoked. "I _never_ betrayed my mother. She was most against Voldemort in the first place; she told me once that she wished there was a different path for me. As for switching sides, I really had no choice. Severus left me to be found by Potter, and that's also when I decided there _is_ a brighter future than what could be offered by the Dark Lord." He spat the name out with disgust, where it once held reverence.

His hold on Blaise loosened a bit as he lost himself in his explanation, wondering if his former friends would even be able to see his side at all. "He took care of me and changed me back when he could, despite having his own problems to deal with. Do you think Voldemort would have done something like that? The bastard tortured his own favorite followers! What sort of reward is that? What promising future lies within the dreams of a tyrannical crackpot monster?" He shook his head and released Blaise completely, slightly surprised when he turned around and saw three hesitant wands trained on him.

"I felt something for the first time, when I was with Potter. Something I never even realized was missing under Voldemort's thumb: hope. He made me believe that there actually could be a brighter future ahead."

Blaise snorted, then, and stepped away from the wall, recovering quickly from Draco's sudden attack. "I'd be willing to bet he just brainwashed you. Look at you! You're absolutely _besotted_. You're still wearing that damned collar, for Merlin's sake! He probably just knew you would be an important person for our side of the war, and turned you into his _pet_ to give himself an advantage."

Draco let a frustrated sound tear from his throat and threw his arms in the air. "Give it_up_, Blaise! The war is _over_ in case you did not get the memo! There is no _his _side, or _our _side…there _are_ no sides!"

"I'm glad." A hesitant voice from behind Blaise and Pansy spoke up, and Draco looked up in surprise, before a small smile settled on his features.

"Thank you, Vince." He said appreciatively.

"What have you done with our Draco?" Pansy suddenly said, and Draco was surprised at the level of resignation in her voice.

"Your Draco?" he questioned, not quite sure if he should be amused by that or not. "I don't belong to you, you know."

"Yeah that's Potter's claim, now." Blaise mumbled, and Draco decided to go selectively deaf for a moment.

"I'm still me. I just came to a lot of realizations that led to a very radical change of opinion and perspective. Now if you all will excuse me, I really must be going." Without giving the conversation a chance to continue, Draco brushed past the other Slytherins, and continued outside the castle without a backwards glance.

He wasn't sure whether he was actually allowed to leave the grounds or not, but soon decided he didn't really care. There were quite a few students milling about outside, since they didn't have to be in class, and most didn't even take notice of him as he strode across the well-kept lawns.

The air was turning crisper as the temperature steadily dropped; it was nearing December after all, and Draco breathed in deeply, simply enjoying how much cleaner the air felt with no threats looming about. He thought back to his encounter with his old friends, and wondered vaguely how they knew of his identity as Arabel after Blaise's comment about the collar. He thought he and Harry had thrown their suspicions before…but then again they might have turned right around and proved them with all the recent events in a Slytherin's eye.

He shrugged the thoughts off as he reached the gates at the edge of the wards, and crossed them easily. _Now for that trip to Gringotts_, he thought pleasantly while spinning on his heel and apparating to Diagon Alley.

When he arrived, Draco immediately turned and headed towards the grand white building labeled Gringotts. He walked past the goblins guarding the entrance, and marched straight to the counter where an unoccupied goblin sat.

"May I help you?" the creature asked as Draco walked up.

Pulling the minister's letter from his pocket, Draco adopted his best Malfoy persona, and said politely, "Yes, I'm here to claim the inheritance of the Malfoy family." He set the letter on the counter and slid it towards the goblin, who picked it up and looked it over.

"Wait here a moment." the goblin, whose nameplate read Grebble, Draco noted, said and disappeared into a hidden room set behind the counter. Draco idly looked around the beautifully designed building while he waited, and watched as people rushed by without a second glance to the world around them. After a couple of minutes, Grebble returned with a square object that appeared to be made of fine stone, with a large indention in the middle about an inch deep and filled with a deep blue liquid. There were faded runes carved into the stone, giving it an ancient look.

Draco immediately recognized the device as one used to test a wizard or witch's bloodline. It was one only used in the older families. When the goblin prompted him to, Draco set his hand into the liquid, and waited a few seconds before removing it again. Almost immediately, a symbol seemed to carve itself into the bottom of the object and glowed brightly, revealing the Malfoy crest.

Grebble nodded in satisfaction, noting the golden color of the symbol. "Very well, Lord Malfoy." He snapped his fingers, and a stack of parchment, along with a very official looking document appeared between them. "I need you to sign your name on these," he indicated the stack, "to have the estates and vaults claimed under your name." Then he motioned to the other paper, "This one here states you as the Lord of the house, and protects all privileges thereof."

Draco nodded, and signed the required documents. A pleasant tingle spread over his body as he signed his name in an elegant script over the document that would officially title him 'Lord Malfoy.' When the process was finished, he was given his key, and informed of the direct access card, fashioned after the muggle credit card, that would allow him to buy things without having to physically carry the money with him that came with the vault. Draco thanked the goblin, and made his way out of the bank with a distinctly pompous saunter.

A glance at the large clock, displayed for the entire alley to see, showed Draco that it was nearing dinnertime. And a growl from his stomach reinforced that fact as he realized he hadn't really eaten anything substantial that day. Nutrient potions from the hospital wing do _not_ count. He was getting ready to apparate back to school when a very prominent display from a nearby window caught his eye. Deciding he had enough time to take a small detour, Draco walked over to check out what was starting to draw a small crowd. A smile spread across his face as he saw what it was, and he stepped past all the gawking people and into the store with the intent of breaking in his new card.

- - - - - - -

Harry was having a very nice dream. He was flying in this dream, there was no real reason for it, just for fun. He really did love to fly. A small smile spread across his face, but then it turned into a frown as his broom started telling him to wake up. He started to tell the broom not to be silly, and that brooms aren't supposed to talk, when suddenly he was doused with _ice_ _cold_ water, and his eyes flew open as he jumped up with a yelp. "What in Merlin's name—!" And then he saw Draco, standing there whistling with an innocent expression. Oh but Harry knew better. He knew that glint in Draco's gray eyes.

"You!" Harry cried as he jabbed a finger towards Draco. "You're going to pay for that!" And then he leaped over the end table of the couch, as it was the quickest way to reach his target.

Draco's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he ducked out of reach of Harry's grasping fingers, and began running around the common room, laughing. There were less people in it now, which gave him more room to run about. He outran Harry for about a minute before he made the fatal mistake of looking behind him, and his foot caught on the edge of a chair and he fell forwards.

Harry shouted a triumphant "Ha!" before launching onto the blonde's back. Draco protested as the water from Harry's clothes soaked into his own. Harry, unsympathetic to the blonde's plight, turned his head so he could see his two best friends, who were both watching with various degrees of amusement.

"You know, it never is boring with you two around. Too bad we didn't discover that sooner." Hermione said thoughtfully, and Ron just shook his head.

Harry glared at them slightly, pushing Draco's shoulder down as the Slytherin tried to lever his body up and remove Harry from his back. "I thought you guys were supposed to be on _my_ side!" he whined, giving him their best puppy face, which admittedly was far more potent when his hair was dripping and his clothes clung to his frame awkwardly, giving him a sort of 'sad orphan' look.

"Of course we are mate!" Ron said. "He just threatened to hex us if we interfered!"

"Liar!" Draco called immediately, though he'd given up pushing against Harry's weight and now lay placidly on the carpet. "You were egging me on Weasley and don't you dare deny it."

Ron blushed and looked away, and Harry just shook his head. "And I was worried about you two getting along…"

Hermione giggled at the statement and Harry winked at her. Then, finally deciding to show some mercy, Hermione pointed her wand at the two boys on the floor and cast a drying charm on them. Harry sighed as warmth found him once again, and he stood up, releasing Draco and helping him stand as well.

"Well now that you're awake, what say we go down for dinner?" Ron asked eagerly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "No wonder you encouraged him." He muttered under his breath, but then agreed in a louder voice. "Now that you mention it, I'm famished."

"Great!" Ron hopped off the couch excitedly and led them to the exit. Hermione, Harry and Draco followed behind at a more subdued pace.

Though as Hermione caught up with Ron, Draco glanced at Harry, wondering why he was walking with slumped shoulders and his hands in his pockets. He reached out and tugged one of Harry's hands free, grasping it and tugging to slow the smaller boy down. "You seem very against the idea of this feast." Draco whispered, remembering a similar reaction Harry had that morning when McGonagall first mentioned the idea. "What's wrong?"

Harry laced their fingers together, but kept his eyes forward. "I don't want a dinner in _my_ honor." He muttered. "I want a dinner in honor of the fact that Voldemort is dead."

Draco gave him a sidelong glance, and studied Harry's set expression. "I forget you don't actually like being famous."

Harry shook his head, giving Draco a small smile. "You can have it, it's too stressful. Never knowing when the entire world will be with you or against you, and always wondering what load of lies they'll put in the paper next. Not to mention the people that want to know me because I'm Harry _Potter_, not just _Harry_. It's just not for me."

"I've always done the same thing, haven't I?" Draco asked contemplatively, and Harry gave him a curious look.

"What do you mean?"

"I judged you because you were Potter, and never bothered seeing otherwise."

Harry smiled and lifted their joined hands, kissing Draco's knuckles. "Not really, you were rude to me even before you knew who I was." He said cheekily, referring to their very first meeting in Madame Malkin's.

Draco spared him an exasperated glance. "Yes and we've been over my deplorable early social skills."

"It doesn't matter, anyway." Harry said, swinging their hands gently between them. "What's done is done." It was said with such finality that Draco dropped any comment he might have had on the matter, and simply agreed, and the rest of the walk to the Great Hall was made in companionable silence.

"Food time." Harry muttered with a smile as they approached the doors. They each reached out their free hand and pushed open the large wooden barriers. Almost immediately, chatter broke out at every table, then quieted just as quickly until the hall was eerily silent. Harry chuckled, while Draco raised a brow at their audience. "Perhaps we shouldn't have walked in holding hands." Though despite this, Harry made no move to remove his hand from Draco's grasp.

Draco, in answer, rolled his eyes. "They were going to find out eventually anyway. Come on." He tugged Harry towards the Gryffindor table, and to his usual seat. Ron and Hermione were already seated, and the other Gryffindors moved over to allow Draco room beside Harry as they sat. Finally, when nobody would stop staring, Draco leveled a glare at the other students. "What are you all gawking at?" he barked, and was pleased when many jumped, and everybody averted their gazes.

"Blimey, maybe having you around will be a good thing after all." Ron said as he watched everyone studiously avoid looking towards the Gryffindor table. There was still muttering about the situation of course, but they kept it among themselves.

Harry laughed, and swung an arm over Draco's shoulders. "Yeah, he is pretty handy."

Draco's shoulders slumped, and he sent a pout in Harry's direction. "Is that all I am to you? Just a tool to scare away the other students?"

Harry's gaze softened, but the spark of amusement was still there. "Of course not, love." He said with a light tap at Draco's nose. Then he leaned in close so that his mouth was next to Draco's ear and added, "You're more to me than you will ever know." He pulled back and smiled at Draco's somewhat astonished look. And Draco's only response was to smile and wrap his arm around Harry's waist, pulling the boy close.

Another ten minutes passed as they waited for the other students to join the mass in the Great Hall. The same topics were being discussed everywhere, most of them centering on either Voldemort, or Harry and Draco. The latter of these was decidedly ignored by the subjects in question. And finally, McGonagall stood up.

Slowly, silence settled over the students, and all attention was turned to the headmistress. "First of all," she started, "I would like to welcome Severus Snape back within the walls of Hogwarts." Another bout of murmuring started, and she held up a hand. "Just like Mr. Malfoy, he was a pivotal point in this war, and a constant source of information that saved many lives."

The harsh look that Snape sent the students showed that he obviously did not want any sort of acknowledgment for anything he may, or may not have, done. Attention was soon switched back to McGonagall as everyone steadfastly avoided eye contact with Snape.

"But you are not here to be lectured or given a speech." McGonagall continued. "This feast is to honor our own Mr.'s Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter, and to celebrate the defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named once and for all!"

A cheer rose up as the students expressed their thoughts on the matter, and McGonagall clapped her hands twice, causing the ceiling to drop a large amount of confetti, and brightly lit banners depicting vague images of victory hung over every table.

Harry rolled his eyes but laughed anyway at the cheesy event; he had a strong suspicion that Dumbledore had something to do with the decoration. Draco laughed at Harry as confetti collected in his hair, until Harry pointed out the same and Draco proceeded to look horrified and attempted to get rid of the offending decorations. Harry smiled and grabbed his hands to stop him. "Don't. It looks cute." He said, obviously amused, to which Draco glared, but stopped anyway.

"I think we've been over this before, Harry. I'm not _cute, __or_ adorable, or any _other_ synonym of the word you can think of."

"My, you're sensitive on that topic. Don't tell me Draco Malfoy is insecure about his appearance!" He feigned appalled shock, and snatched the hand that reached up to flick at his ear in punishment.

Draco, nonplussed by being thrown off his course of revenge, leaned in close, causing Harry's expression to waver into uncertainty. Ignoring all the curiously staring Gryffindors around them, Draco whispered almost huskily, "I'm sure you've found I've no reason to be insecure about my looks." His smirk was decidedly wicked, and Harry swallowed with difficulty, a heavy blush immediately rising to his cheeks.

He quickly shoved Draco back, and sent a glare at the blonde that was severely hindered by the pout on his lips. "You are so conceited." He mumbled, grabbing his fork from beside his plate and fiddling with it. Draco chuckled in response, and brought his hand up to rub lightly at the back of Harry's neck. The muscles immediately relaxed under his touch, and so Draco continued the motion as Harry struck up conversation with his dorm mates.

And then their plates were cleaned of glittering paper, and the grandest feast that the walls, and ghosts, of Hogwarts had ever seen appeared on the four house tables. Ron, mouth watering, immediately began gathering everything within reach onto his plate, and soon the rest of the students followed suite.

The noise level of the hall lowered considerably as everybody dug in to food that was most likely the best work the house elves had ever done. Sounds of silverware on plates, and goblets being set down, were the dominant noises until people slowed their eating and began talking again. This was also the moment Harry marked as the start of the feast turning un-enjoyable.

As students began to finish their meals, some would stand up and walk over to where Harry and Draco were, congratulating, thanking, or asking them questions about what happened. So many questions and comments, in fact, that Harry began to simply tune half of them out, and left to Draco to answer. He kept half an ear out for the questions, but mostly they were the type to be expected, and Harry left Draco to bask in the glory of fame and adoration.

"I can't believe you defeated him, just like that!"

"Did you really go against your own father?"

"Was it scary?" That one was from a timid-looking first year, of course.

Most of the comments were a simple 'thank you' that Harry and Draco would just nod to.

There was one question though that caused Draco to laugh, while Harry, whom the question was directed to, blushed.

"Since when are you gay?"

Draco opened his mouth to give his own answer, but Harry stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He turned to the boy that had asked with a smile. "Let's just leave that one a mystery, shall we?" and he winked at the boy, who blushed and nodded, hurrying back to his own table. Draco raised an eyebrow, knowing that was going to be the cause of some very interesting headlines.

The evening continued on like this for a while, and the boys' only reassuring thought was, at least they weren't all coming over at once. When the students from other houses weren't walking up, Harry, and sometimes Draco too, simply talked with his housemates about this or that, enjoying being able to speak to them without worrying about hiding something.

It was well over an hour later when Seamus suggested they should all escape back to the tower, and all around him agreed. Halfway through the entrance hall, Draco stopped, and pulled on the back of Harry's robes to get him to stop too. His strangled noise of surprise caught the others' attention, and they turned back with curious expressions.

Draco waved them all on with a slight 'shooing' motion. "You lot go on, I'm merely going to kidnap Mr. Hero here for a bit." He said pleasantly, and mused that there was a time when that same statement would have caused every person present to draw their wands and hex him without hesitation. As it was, some looked hesitant, but Hermione smiled and nodded, telling them to have fun and then ushered the rest of the group up the stairs.

"Kidnap me?" Harry turned to him with brows raised. "And what do you plan to do with me, then?"

Draco smiled and grabbed Harry's hand. "Come with me." He led them through the entrance of the school, and across the grounds, straight to the quidditch pitch.

Brow furrowed slightly, Harry turned to Draco for answers. "What are we doing here?"

Instead of answering, Draco dug into his pocket, pulling out two items that Harry couldn't make out, as they were obscured by Draco's fingers. The Slytherin muttered a spell under his breath, and immediately the small items turned into two normal sized brooms, only they looked ten times more sleek than any other he had seen before. Again he looked at Draco with a question in his eyes, and the other boy picked up one of the brooms, holding it out for Harry to take.

"Newest model, at least two steps up from the Firebolt." He started as Harry's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline this time. "It's called the Velox IX; laced with the latest protection charms, the best cushion charms, and apparently they used advanced Arithmancy to get the perfect alignment of the tail and handle." He stopped talking and simply watched as Harry ran his hand reverently over the handle, releasing it to hover in midair, and feeling as it nearly thrummed with magic and apparent anxiety to be in the air.

"And this is…"

"For you, yes."

"And you bought two of them? That must have cost a small fortune!" Harry exclaimed, thinking of the through-the-roof prices he had seen whenever he saw a new broom displayed.

Draco smirked. "Have you forgotten you're talking to one of the richest wizards in the country?" He called his own broom to his hand, and admired it for a moment before meeting Harry's eyes again. "That letter I received today was to inform me that I had received my family's inheritance, and I thought a bit of a celebration was in order, both for that and for the Dark Lord's downfall. Care for a quick game?" He asked suddenly, pulling from his other pocket the golden snitch that Harry kept in his trunk. "You did promise, after all."

Harry had to think for a moment before he remembered that first night Draco had been playing with the snitch. A grin slowly spread over his own features. "I did, didn't I." And in one swift move, he mounted his new Velox, and grabbed the snitch from Draco's hand, tossing it high into the air, and took off at breakneck speed towards the other end of the pitch. Draco wasted no time in following, and soon they were both lost in the sheer joy of flying.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: Velox- I just used an online dictionary to translate 'swift' into Latin, and this is what it gave me.

Okay, so I _think_ there will be one more chapter. But I can't say for sure because obviously I have no bloody clue when I'll be ending this story.

And here's a little congratulations to drippy123, who gave me my first negative review for this story! Yes that's a little sarcasm there, but really I started looking for more reviews from this person to see what minor thing they were going to comment on next. Yes I know it's 'floo' not 'flu.' That was probably a missed spell-check correction. And yes Rowling never really does mention the non-magic environment when not necessary, but she never took the time to take them out clothes shopping, did she? Really those reviews felt more like an excuse to give me indirect and thinly veiled insults, than to help out. And besides, you didn't pick up the one thing that's been bugging me in this fic…apparition! I always spelled it apparation, because surely Rowling wouldn't use apparition, considering it is "a supernatural appearance of a person or thing" but whatever. I'll have to go back and change those eventually. (And taking images from the books _or_ the movies at random is probably not a good idea, since they don't quite line up in a few areas.)

And for the rest of you, thank you for your continued support in this story! We're up to 300 reviews now::faints::


	12. A little insecurity goes a long way

Not the end yet! (More notes at the bottom, as usual)

Thanks to 13thMoonWitch for being my beta!

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**Chapter 12: A Little Insecurity Goes a Long Way**

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Harry and Draco quickly lost track of how long they flew. Harry wrapped his hands tightly around the handle of the Velox, reveling in the way it reacted to his touch as if it were reading his thoughts. He wove a dance through the air that looked so beautifully dangerous that Draco simply stopped, and watched as his boyfriend flew through the skies as if he simply _owned_ them.

It took Harry a good few moments to realize he wasn't flying _with_ Draco now so much as he was flying _for_ him. He stopped and sent a bemused glance to the blonde, who was watching him with a small smile on his face, and a spark in his eyes. Raising an eyebrow in question, Harry lowered his broom so that he was level with Draco, and positioned himself beside him to his left, but facing the opposite direction. "Any particular reason you stopped?"

"Why've I never noticed what a natural you are in the air?" Draco asked, as if Harry had not spoken at all. His expression had a thoughtful quality to it, and Harry blinked in confusion, tilting his head a bit to the side.

"Because you were always too busy trying to beat me to the snitch?"

Draco smirked in amusement, his gaze coming back into focus. "Yes, that was probably it." he agreed easily. "It's no wonder I could never get it though…you look like you were _born_ in the skies. I really don't think that's fair." He pouted playfully.

Harry laughed, and poked him in the chest. "We've all got our talents, mine just happens to be flying."

"Says Mr. Modesty." Draco retorted with a roll of his eyes. Obviously Harry's talents lie far beyond simple flying.

Harry grinned sheepishly and averted his gaze. "Shut up, Draco." He muttered, and was surprised when the blonde actually did. He looked up again to see what Draco was thinking, but only managed to catch a glimpse of heated gray eyes before wanting lips crashed onto his own. He let out a muffled noise of surprise, before quickly giving in to the kiss, and closed his eyes with a sigh. Eagerly, he opened his mouth to his boyfriend, attempting to push closer even at the somewhat awkward sideways angle.

Draco stopped his progression by a hand on the smaller boy's chest, and pushed gently until Harry was lying on his back along the handle of his broom. Harry's left hand grasped onto Draco's forearm for balance as Draco leaned with him, never breaking the kiss. Draco quickly got annoyed with his arm being held stationary, and used his free hand to move Harry's up to his shoulder. When that was accomplished, he moved his left hand beneath Harry's robes, and under the hem of his shirt, un-tucking the front of it.

Harry inhaled sharply, and the muscles of his stomach jumped as Draco's cold fingers touched the warmer flesh. Draco grinned at Harry's reaction, and Harry decided to retaliate by slipping his hand under Draco's collar, causing the boy's shoulder to twitch slightly. Harry grinned back, and Draco muttered a soft 'prat' against his lips.

Slowly, the hand on Harry's stomach inched upwards, tracing random patters that left his skin tingling. The sun was setting around them, and the air continued to grow colder as it lost the warmth it provided, but neither boy noticed. Harry whimpered softly as Draco moved his lips to Harry's ear and tugged gently on the lobe. He began leaving a trail of kisses from his ear, along his jaw, until something hit him upside the head.

Stopping abruptly, Draco leaned back and stared at Harry with a confused glare. "What was that for?"

Harry blinked up at him, still slightly dazed. "What was what for?"

"Don't play dumb; you hit me!"

"What? I did no—ow!" Harry cut off as he too was knocked in the head. Green and gray eyes immediately snapped to the offending object. Harry threw his head back and laughed, moving his grip back to Draco's arm for better balance.

"The sni- the snitch!" he managed, pulling himself up to a sitting position with a grin.

Draco frowned in response. "Of all the…" he reached out to grab it, but it flitted just out of reach. Draco scowled and tried again, but again it dodged to the side. This of course caused Harry to break down into fits of laughter again.

When he recovered, Harry reached out to grab it as well, but it did the same thing as it had done to Draco.

"Ha!" the Slytherin cried out triumphantly. Harry's eyes narrowed at the snitch in challenge. He reached for it once more, and this time it zoomed away completely. "Who knew a snitch would get annoyed at being ignored?" Draco mumbled. He and Harry locked gazes, and Harry turned his broom around. As one, they shot across the pitch after the elusive golden ball.

Harry whooped and threw his fist in the air before leaning close to his broom, urging it on as fast as it would go. This was something he would never get bored of. Flying, to him, was the ultimate freedom. He glanced to his side at Draco and smiled. Having Draco with him made it even better. Draco met his gaze for a moment, before smirking, and turning a ninety-degree angle away from him. Harry blinked in confusion for a second before he realized the snitch had changed its course.

Cursing under his breath, Harry changed directions too. They continued on like this for a while, and before long it had gotten so dark it was near impossible to find the snitch. Of course this meant nothing to the two determined players. Even though both knew it wasn't a real game, Harry and Draco had both gotten caught up in the spirit of competition. And knowing that the other had always been their greatest challenge only added fuel to the flame. They used nothing but the light of the moon to fly by, as it would occasionally glint off the golden ball.

It was in one such moment that Draco saw it, having been lucky enough to be facing the right direction. It was near the ground, and he aimed his Velox down into a dive. Soon enough he heard Harry pulling up to him. Within moments they were neck and neck, and both reached their hands forward. The ground rushed towards them, and they both felt the thrill of the risk as neither changed their course.

When the finally reached the snitch, it was a simultaneous lunge. Draco stretched forward as far as he could, while Harry threw all caution to the wind and leapt. Their hands closed around it at the same time, but the force of Harry's momentum pulled Draco from his broom, and they ended up falling the very few feet left to the ground, tumbling over each other until they finally stopped.

When eventually they did cease rolling, Draco was sprawled out on the ground, with Harry on top of him and laughing at the whole thing. Their hands were still clasped together over the snitch, its wings fluttering helplessly between their twined fingers. Harry smiled at Draco, looking for the moment like the happiest person alive. "It's a tie." He said simply.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Who cares about the _snitch_, Potter, you're going to get yourself _killed_ pulling stunts like that one day!" He tried to frown reprovingly, but knew he wasn't doing a very good job as he felt a smile tugging at his own lips. It seemed Harry's happiness was contagious.

So Harry, completely unaffected by his death-defying stunt, sighed and tucked his head under Draco's chin, nuzzling the boy's neck and inhaling his scent. "At least it would be

a fun death." He mumbled amusedly, to which Draco retaliated by poking him in the side.

"It wouldn't be fun for me." Draco said seriously.

Harry's head lifted again at Draco's blunt statement. Even after all the friends and adopted family he'd met since coming to Hogwarts, he still couldn't quite wrap his mind around fact that people would care that much if he were gone. He realized with an interested sort of detachment that he probably shouldn't think of death so lightly now. Before, he always had half a mind set on the fact that he would fall in the last battle; it was something he had subconsciously prepared for all of his life. But now that wasn't an issue, and he realized with a sudden clarity that he had the _rest_ of his _life_ to live freely and without worry.

A grin spread across Harry's face at the realization. He brought their joined hands up, and kissed Draco's knuckles, before placing a fervent kiss on his lips. "You're right." He said after they pulled apart. "I'm sorry. Life isn't something to take for granted, is it? Now come on, we should probably be getting back to the common room; I don't want my friends to think you really _have_ kidnapped me."

Draco blinked at the sudden change in attitude, but allowed himself to be pulled up and led away from the field anyway after they grabbed their brooms, which were still hovering expectantly in the air where they had so unexpectedly dismounted.

"It's not my common room." Draco suddenly said after a few minutes of silence.

Harry's brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"You said 'the common room' like it was both of ours. You _do_ remember that I'm not a Gryffindor, right? Yours is in no way _my_ common room."

"I swear you pick the _smallest_ things to focus on." Harry said with a sigh and a roll of his eyes. "You've been living there for the past three months, I think you could at _least_ say you somewhat belong there."

"I suppose." Draco replied hesitantly, and Harry gave him a curious glance.

"What's wrong?"

Draco seemed surprised for a second at being asked, before he averted his gaze to the darkened sky with a sigh, trusting Harry to lead him. "I don't really belong anywhere now, do I?" he asked wistfully. It was a rhetorical question, and he soon continued his thought. "It seems I've betrayed most of Slytherin house; some say I'm missed, but I believe most see me now to be as much of a blood traitor as the Weasleys. And now the rest of the world sees me as some sort of hero, but there's no _way_ I belong in Gryffindor. Morals aside, I just don't have those qualities."

He sounded so sad about it that Harry thought carefully before he answered. By the time he did, they had entered Hogwarts and had begun making their way to the tower. "I think…I think that's a positive thing, for you. Somehow, you've got the best of both houses. You've got a Slytherin's mind: cunning, sharp, witty, and ambitious. Then you've got bravery, when needed, to rival that of any Gryffindor, and you're loyal to what you believe, and those you love. I don't think that's anything to be sad about. And besides, we've only got a little over half a year left, and you won't ever have to worry about it again." He squeezed Draco's hand assuringly, and received a small, but genuine smile in return.

"I guess, for now then, I'll just say I belong with you, hm?" Draco said. His appreciation for Harry's statement wasn't needed in words, as it showed clearly in his eyes.

Harry chuckled in response, and said, "That sounds good to me. _ Requiem_." He added as they approached the portrait. It swung open, and Harry wasn't all that surprised to find the common room empty. They had stayed out for hours, after all. In fact he was slightly surprised no one had caught them and told them to go to bed. Then again, they were the world's new saviors; it seemed there were certain allowances in rules made to those who killed bad people.

Shaking his head in amusement, Harry tugged Draco towards the dorms. They set their brooms down near Harry's bed, and Harry sat down, pulling off his shoes and robe. Draco sat beside him and did the same, sighing and laying back after he removed his tie, taking up almost the entire bed. Harry twisted around, and raised an eyebrow. "And what do you think you're doing?" he whispered teasingly.

Draco smirked, and whispered back so as not to wake anyone else, "I'm commandeering your bed, what does it look like?"

Harry chuckled softly, not quite able to tell the blonde to shove off because he quite liked him lying there like that. So he removed his belt and tie, and un-tucked the part of his shirt Draco hadn't lifted earlier for comfort, and draped himself over Draco's body, settling his head into the crook of the other boy's neck. "Then I guess I'll just have to commandeer you as my pillow." He answered back.

Draco, of course, didn't object, and carded his fingers through Harry's hair, smiling as he heard they Gryffindor's breathing even out. He closed the curtains with a wave of his hand and a whispered spell before following Harry into the wonderful bliss of sleep.

- - - - - - -

Waking up the next morning was an interesting affair, and one that had the entire 7th year boys dorm up within seconds.

Ron had been, miraculously, the first one to wake, and decided he wanted to go down and get breakfast before they stopped serving it. And since Harry was his best friend, of course he wanted the raven-haired boy to go with him. So with an absentminded whistle under his breath, Ron walked over to Harry's bed, and pulled the curtains. "Wake up mate, it's time for—" He cut off and immediately jumped back with a shriek of surprise. "Bloody hell what's _he_ doing in _your_ bed!"

At Ron's sudden shout, the rest of their roommates had woken up. Neville had woken with a start and snatched his wand from the nightstand beside him, knocking over his glass of water in the process. Dean was staring blearily at Ron, and Seamus was muttering under his breath about disrespectful roommates disturbing his beauty sleep, and rubbing the back of his head after he'd hit the headboard when he jumped.

"Ron?" Harry mumbled, lifting his head a few inches to stare in the redhead's general direction. He let out a huge yawn, obviously not quite as startled as his roommates at the noise.

Beneath him, Draco grumbled and turned his head to the other side. "Bloody hell Weasley, some of us _are_ trying to sleep, here."

Harry placed his hand over Draco's mouth and turned to Ron. "Ron, he's been sleeping in my bed since we came back to school, you know that."

Realization crossed Ron's face, but he didn't look any happier about it. "Yeah but I didn't know who he was, then. I wasn't exactly expecting to see him in _your_ bed when I went to wake you up. The fox might have been less of a shock…"

Draco chuckled at that, and removed Harry's hand from his mouth. "Less of a shock, but not near as much fun."

"Harry…" Ron whined, "Make him shut up."

Harry was surprised into laughter as he rolled off of Draco to lie beside him. "Ron there's really only one way I can 'shut him up' and I know you won't like it."

"Hey, I'm right here in case you might have forgotten." Draco grumbled, glancing between the two with an annoyed glare.

Harry chuckled and patted his shoulder patronizingly. "I know love. Now are you going to come get breakfast with us?"

There was a silence as Draco gave him a calculating stare. "Are you gonna make it?" He asked seriously.

Ron, now recovered from his shock and standing up to gather his clothes, furrowed his brow. "Why would Harry be making breakfast? The house elves do that."

Draco only raised his eyebrows in response. "I'll stay here, thanks." He reached down, pulling the covers over himself up to his chin and turned over, already drifting off to sleep again.

Harry leaned over to whisper in his ear, "I'll see if the house elves will allow me in the kitchen for lunch." He kissed Draco's cheek and got out of bed, smiling sheepishly at the simultaneously amused and disturbed expressions of his roommates. In the back of his mind, he found it amusing that for so many years he had hated making meals for the Dursleys, but would so eagerly do so for his boyfriend.

"One question, Harry." Dean suddenly piped up, and Harry looked to him with interest.

"Yeah?"

"How is it that we've lived with you for _six_ years, and never knew that you were gay?"

A snort of amusement came from the supposedly sleeping lump beneath Harry's sheets, and Harry spared the spot a glare before turning back to Dean. "Because I wasn't." He answered with a shrug. He reached a hand to scratch the back of his neck in thought. "At least, I don't think I was…I never fancied a bloke until Draco, anyway. Then again I never really had time for romance, did I?"

"Yeah I guess so…" Dean replied.

"I still can't believe the Boy-who-lived is gay." Seamus contributed bluntly.

"Seamus!" Harry cried with a blush. "That's it, I'm going." Harry mumbled, gathering his clothes and stepping into the bathroom for a quick shower before he made his way into the great hall.

There was silence for a few moments as the others moved about the room, preparing to go to breakfast. "We had better not find this room in ruins when we come back." Seamus finally muttered with a half-hearted glare towards Draco.

The Slytherin in the room shoved back the blankets and sat up, leveling a deadpan stare on the sandy-blonde boy. "Finnegan, I've lived here for three months and you've yet to find this place destroyed. And in case you hadn't noticed, I'm _still_ staying here. What purpose would it serve to mess up this room? Especially when you've done a right fine job of it yourselves!" With a wave of his hand he indicated the messy state the room was in.

"Oh I dunno, I'm sure it would fit somewhere in some master plan you're concocting. Probably going to turn Harry dark or something like that?"

"Finnegan, were you dropped on your head as a child?" Draco asked coolly, though the slight flare of his nostrils gave away his fast-growing frustration. "You think I'm just out to make Harry into the next dark lord? Yes because that would make _so_ much sense right now, wouldn't it? It takes a different kind of idiot for your level, Finnegan; I must say I'm impressed."

Ron, at this point, went immediately into 'defend a friend' mode. "Don't insult Seamus like that!" he said, crossing his arms as he stared the Slytherin down.

Draco stood up and stared back, giving off a more intimidating air even though he was two inches shorter than the redhead. "I have no reason to start arguments here, Weasley. However, if I find my intention being questioned, then I reserve every right to defend myself." He threw such a bite into his words that many would back down simply from his tone alone. But of course, Gryffindors are not your average people, and Draco found himself cursing his boyfriend's choice in house for the first time in a while.

"Bloody right you have no reason." Ron countered, focusing intentionally on the first part of Draco's statement. Ron had a certain terrible habit of losing all sensibility when his temper was ignited, and this situation proved no differently.

"We're just saying you're going to have to prove yourself is all." Seamus added.

Draco stared disbelievingly for a moment. "Prove myself…_prove_ myself?" he cried. Hadn't he already done that? Had they not been ready to begrudgingly accept him yesterday? How fickle could these people be? "And pray tell, what happened to Harry's speech about _not_ antagonizing me?" Not quite being able to help it in midst of his ire, he added, "I would think that even you simpletons could do something as simple as respect your friend's wishes."

Ron growled, expressing his opinion on that statement. "That's it; you haven't changed at all! Once a Malfoy, always a poncy git who cares for no one but himself!"

"Yes because _obviously_ I'm just filthy Death Eater scum with no remorse, no respect and no compassion for anyone! How could I have _possibly_ forgotten!" Draco nearly shouted with a sneer.

"At least you admit it!" Ron countered.

Suddenly Draco stiffened, and his entire demeanor became colder than ice. He lifted his chin, and the look in his eyes sent chills through those in the room. Though his lip twitched as if suppressing the urge to spit something vile, he uttered not a word, his expression saying everything he needed without a sound, and spun on his heel. He didn't even bother to grab his robes from Harry's bed, leaving the room and managing, even with a slightly rumpled countenance, to exude an air of menacing superiority as he stalked from the room. He even slammed the dorm room door for good measure.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" came a harsh shout from behind those left in the room.

All heads turned towards the bathroom door, where Harry stood in nothing but a towel around his waist. He had obviously _just_ gotten out of the shower, as his hair was still sopping wet, and hung in slight curls just reaching his shoulders, and water dripped down his body, creating a small puddle on the floor. This appearance did nothing to deter from the anger flashing in the brilliant green eyes.

"I thought I heard yelling, so I come in to check out the situation, and am greeted by the sight of my entire dorm room ganging up on my boyfriend! Well, besides you Neville." He said with an offhanded wave in Neville's direction. He had hesitantly lifted a hand in his defense, but lowered it again at Harry's comment. Harry's eyes, though, flicked between Seamus and Ron. "Care to explain?" he said dangerously, and for the first time the boys wondered if they should be scared of their roommate and very close friend.

The two in question, at the same time, began stumbling over their words in an effort to have their explanations heard. The main things Harry was able to decipher were:

"He had it coming! He…"

"He was being a git!"

"He's just using you!"

"STOP!" Harry shouted, bringing an instant end to the tirade of accusations. "All I'm hearing from you two is a throwing of blame, and frankly, given our history with the Slytherins, I'm inclined to believe you're not quite giving me the truth." As much as he hated to say it, he knew it was probably true; he should have known house prejudices and years of animosity would haunt them for a while. "Do either of you have anything to add?" Harry asked, looking between Dean and Neville.

Neville shrugged awkwardly and looked away. Dean mumbled lowly, "Not really." Obviously neither of them wanted to be pulled into a house feud.

With a heavy sigh, Harry ran a hand through his hair, flicking water droplets off the strands and onto the floor. "If you can't act civilly at all, then I want you guys to just ignore him. I will _not_ deal with this constant fighting. If I have to silence everyone in this room, I will." And they knew that was no empty threat. "Believe it or not, Draco is a person. And, I didn't hear all of what was said, but whatever you guys said to him really hurt him."

"He didn't look hurt to me." Ron grumbled.

Harry turned his piercing gaze on him then, and while there was some anger left, most of it was gone, replaced by disappointment, and a few other emotions that swirled beneath the surface. "He covers hurt with pride, Ron. What he said about himself, he knows those are the views you have of him, and I know that he hates that. I think, beneath it all, he wants to be able to believe he really is a better person than that. He's dealt with enough belittling in his lifetime; it's not something I really expect you to understand, Ron." He turned a more heavy-hearted gaze towards the door. "I'm going to find him." He muttered, starting towards the door.

"In a towel?" Seamus spoke up before he could turn the knob.

Harry blinked and looked down at himself, realizing he _had_ been about to traverse the corridors in naught but a towel. Not feeling like wasting time getting dressed, Harry snapped his fingers, and a golden stream of magic swirled around him from the toes up, forming into appropriate attire. And with a dramatic flare of newly formed robes, he was out the door, leaving his roommates to think over what they had just been told.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Draco stalked through the hallways in a fine state of aggravation. Why did it seem that Gryffindors were _completely_ incapable of keeping their word? First after McGonagall's speech, and now, even after Weasley claimed that he would accept the relationship! There was no trusting them!

"Stupid, loathsome, narrow-minded _idiots_." Draco growled under his breath. He brushed by two portraits that tried to console him, and past a group of first years that scrambled to get out of his way. He flipped them off as he passed for good measure.

How _dare_ that redheaded fool say that! Granted, it had been Draco's words, but he wasn't stupid; he knew what the Gryffindors thought of him. It seemed he had been wrong in thinking his image had been redeemed by one act. He would always be the malevolent Death Eater. He would always be that arrogant git that everybody hated because of who he was raised to be.

As the steam of his anger disappeared and left him deflated, Draco sighed, stopping in the middle of the hallway. He looked over his shoulder, and briefly wondered why he had left the room; he really wanted Harry right now. Harry always knew what to say, and as much as he hated to admit finding a much-needed comfort from another, he realized he couldn't really bring himself to care. Harry's arms around his waist and head on his shoulder would be more than enough at the moment.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen."

Draco's head snapped to the left, in the direction that familiar voice had come from. A figure stepped from the shadows of a dungeon hallway –when had he reached the dungeons?– and Draco's eyes widened marginally at the figure that was revealed. "Nott?" They had never been particularly close; Draco would consider the other boy an acquaintance at best. After all, Theodore Nott shared all of his father's beliefs in the supremacy of the Dark Lord. At least, he did, and now Draco wondered just where did he stand?

"Aren't you embarrassed, Draco?" Nott asked as he walked up to Draco and stopped, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

Draco mimicked the action, which seemed to annoy the other boy the slightest bit. "Embarrassed? What ever for?" He asked carefully. He didn't like the expression in the dark eyes right now, and he vaguely wondered where Nott had been all this time when he had been confronted by most of his other year mates.

"Oh for so many things, Draco!" Nott exclaimed. "You're a traitor, a murderer, and together with _Potter_!"

Draco's arms crossed in front of his chest, and he narrowed his eyes. "I am a traitor for a better world, a murderer for a better life, and my private affairs are none of your business, thank you very much." He would _not_ let on how much being called a murderer really affected him. He hadn't really thought about it; of course he knew he killed his father, and Pansy even called him on it, but the word 'murderer' had never come up. It sounded so…_dirty_.

"It's hardly a private affair; the entire school knows about the two of you by now!"

Again, Draco raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"So? _So_?! Are you _proud _of this?"

"Proud of what? You're not making any sense at all, Nott." Draco said, his brow now furrowed as he watched his former not-quite-friend get all worked up about something he wasn't yet sharing.

"About being _gay_." He finally clarified. "It's simply appalling, especially for someone of your stature! Have you no respect for your family? For your own _blood_?"

Oh. So he was one of _those_. "I have respect for _myself_." Draco countered. "Why do you think I didn't want to bow down before a half-blood off his rocker?"

"His ideas were greater than any half-cocked plans of Potter's."

"Harry isn't making any plans, Nott."

Nott frowned. "Hearing his name from your mouth…it sounds disgusting." Draco's nostrils flared as his own temper was tested for the second time that day, but Nott continued before he could say anything. "What could he possibly see in you, anyway? You've always been enemies, and from what I saw, you never did anything but hurt him."

Draco winced unnoticeably. He knew it was true, but he and Harry had agreed to put it all behind them; it didn't matter now.

"It's all just some big trick, isn't it?" Nott continued, once again before Draco could say anything. "One of you has got to be playing the other." Suddenly his eyes lit up as if he'd found the answer to life. "I know! You've made him your little whore, haven't you? What a great way to bring him down to—" He didn't finish as he suddenly found himself slammed against the stone wall.

Draco only took a moment to wonder about his recent affinity for shoving people against walls before he snarled at the boy before him. "Harry is _not_ a whore, and if you _ever_ say that about him again I will skin you _alive_."

Nott's eyes widened briefly at the assault before they narrowed again. "Get your filthy hands off me, fag." He growled. When Draco's grip reluctantly fell from his robes, Nott straightened himself out and sent a haughty look to Slytherin's former leader. "There's no way you can keep his affections. I always heard he was quite fond of the Weasley girl. She could give him a family, too, you know. This tryst of yours…it's not _natural_. But don't worry, soon enough Potter will get bored of you, and move on to create the family I'm sure he's always wanted, hm? Then maybe you'll see the light and take your rightful place in the wizarding world. But then again, you've probably lost even that. A precious little one-time hero; not light, not dark: my, oh my, where does one fit in?" Nott smiled then, having effectively turned the conversation over to his favor, which was something he never thought he would accomplish with Draco Malfoy. Clearly the former Slytherin Prince had been knocked too far off kilter.

As for Draco, there were many emotions swirling just beneath the set stoicism of his expression. Contempt warred with resurfaced insecurity as the blonde glanced at Nott. "Don't speak as if you know me." He finally growled, before marching away. If he stayed any longer, he might just resort to punching, and he really didn't feel like getting into a fight right now.

It was strange, Draco decided, to see that look of hatred and disgust from one that he knew, and had become familiar with. Of course he had seen the odd condescending glance in the hallway –and who ever thought he would be on the receiving end of that one– but they were strangers; what did it matter if they didn't like him? But then, was it any different with Nott? They weren't friends. He finally settled on realizing it was the familiarity with the boy that made it different.

With a heavy sigh, Draco looked up and realized that at some point he had left the castle, and was on his way towards the lake. With a shrug he continued on his way. Winter had definitely come, he realized, as a gust of wind bit through his robes, and caused him to shiver. Deciding it would be warmer, he morphed into the very familiar fox form, and was happy when the fur was indeed warmer than his cloak had been.

After a small bit of walking, he reached a large tree by the lake, and slowly curled beneath it with a sigh. Nott's words would not stop repeating through his head, like an echo in a canyon and he could not block them.

- - - - - - - -

Harry walked quickly through the halls, down the stairs, turn a corner, down more stairs, go straight, another corner, McGonagall. Harry stopped and blinked. That wasn't part of the route.

"Mr. Potter!" she exclaimed. "Just the boy I was looking for."

"Er…you were?"

"Yes, please come with me to my office."

"Professor…" Harry countered, taking a half step backwards. "I'm kind of busy at the moment."

"I'm afraid this can't wait, Harry." Not waiting for further argument, she grabbed him by the upper arm and dragged him quite unwillingly to her office. Harry sent one longing glance towards the front of the school before sighing, resigned to this unwanted delay.

"What's this about then, Professor?" Harry asked, wondering what on earth was so urgent. The woman's only reply was to speak the password to the gargoyle and lead him up the stairs; she was obviously preoccupied. He soon found out the reason.

Harry couldn't stop the groan that passed his lips as he saw the Minister of Magic and two other officials he didn't know standing in the headmistress' office.

"Harry!" Scrimgeour cried jovially, spreading his arms in a gesture of welcome. Harry eyed him suspiciously. They didn't have the friendliest history, and yet the man acted as if he was a long lost relative.

Harry looked over at McGonagall, and noticed she looked distinctly uncomfortable. He then glanced at Dumbledore's portrait, frowning when he realized the frame was empty except for a big, red plush chair. "You…wanted to see me?" Harry finally said, facing the minister. Why else would he have been brought here?

"Yes, yes! But then, who wouldn't want to see our little hero?"

Harry raised an eyebrow, wondering if the man was trying to be funny. And at seventeen, he hardly considered himself to be 'little.' "Was there any other reason?" he asked with annoyance tinting his voice. "Because I really need to be—"

"Come, come, have a cup of tea with me!" Scrimgeour pulled out his wand and waved it with a flourish of movement, creating two cups of tea on the desk, not sparing a glance for McGonagall or his two henchmen. Harry wondered if he was supposed to be impressed at the display. He thought about banishing the cups, or maybe making them explode, but decided against it, though he made no move for the tea.

Scrimgeour seemed unfazed by the blatant disregard of his hospitality. "How do you feel about ministry functions, boy?"

The use of the term 'boy' put Harry instinctively on edge, simply from years of that same word being followed by unpleasant experiences. "I hate them." He answered simply.

"Excellent, yes," the man muttered, rubbing his chin as if in great consideration. "I thought, dear boy, that you might come and speak at the next one with me? I just know the public would love to know how you did it! Perhaps even a demonstration of the wonderful new powers I hear you have obtained?"

Harry simply stared at the man incredulously. After all the times Harry had refused to be his ministry mascot, and the man still persisted. Finally he spoke, and the tone was filled with the sort of hesitancy that suggested the man he was talking to was very stupid. "Nice to see you haven't changed. You have _never_ listened to a single word I say. I hate ministry functions, I hate the ministry, and I am not going to become your trophy-boy hero!"

McGonagall gasped softly; she wasn't quite as used to Harry's outbursts against authority figures as Dumbledore was. "Harry," she stated hesitantly, "this is a wonderful opportunity…"

"For what, Professor?" Harry asked, and she was taken aback when he turned to her with eyes darkened by the hardships of his life. "I don't want the fame, I don't want the extra recognition. Give it to Draco; he deserves it far more than me. He's the one who actually _chose_ to fight this war." His eyes scanned over everyone in the room, and he decided he was already tired of the minister's presence. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a fox to find."

Both McGonagall and the minister called after him, but Harry ignored them both as he walked out of the office and down the spiraling staircase. Quickly realizing he hadn't bothered to grab the map, Harry concentrated his magic again, searching for Draco's unique signature. The technique had become almost second nature to him now. Finally he realized his quarry was no longer inside the castle. Wondering why his love had gone outside in the cold, Harry made his way toward the lake.

What he saw there made his heart melt. Draco was curled into a small ball, so that his nose was tucked into the fur of his tail. Slowly, Harry approached him and flopped down on his stomach right beside him. The animal jumped with a yip of surprise, but Harry reached out an arm, and laid it over Draco's back. He pulled the animal close, and buried his face into the soft warmth of the fur at Draco's neck. His hand idly rubbed the animal's ears and head. "Just ignore what my roommates say, okay Draco?" Harry mumbled.

Draco turned his head to look at Harry, but all that was in his vision was the messy mop of black hair. He pressed his check against the top of Harry's head and sighed, causing the boy's hand to tighten in his fur. Frankly, what Harry's roommates had said was not what was on his mind right now; it was what Nott had said that was bothering him.

"_She could give him a family, too, you know."_

Did Harry want a family? Draco couldn't care less; he'd had parents, and that hadn't turned out so great for him in the end. All he wanted was to be loved, and have someone to love in return, and he felt like he'd found that. But Harry, having grown up an orphan…how would he feel?"

"But don't worry, soon enough Potter will get bored of you…" 

Draco knew he wasn't the perfect guy. He was possessive, vindictive, and sometimes controlling. But Harry knew the better parts of him as well, and Harry's own personality countered the fallouts in Draco's. His mind, unbidden, went back to one of their conversations in the hospital wing. Harry had laughed about him always being full of surprises. But what if Draco ran out of surprises? Would Harry tire of him then? Would it be better to let him go to Ginny, so that he could have children to love and raise as his own? He even said he hadn't known he was gay until Draco…what if he was just an experiment?

Draco sniffed, and morphed back to a human, surprising Harry as he wrapped his arms around him, squeezing tightly and nearly taking the breath out of the boy.

"Draco…?" Harry whispered, wondering at the sudden display. He offered comfort to the seemingly distraught boy in the only way he knew, and hugged back, placing soft kisses along Draco's neck, where his head still rested. They lay there for what might have been hours had either of them counted.

- - - - - - - - - -

The next two weeks before winter break, the relationship between the two boys felt strained, and Harry couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why. Draco always seemed so tense, and his eyes seemed just a little more closed off. Any time Harry tried to ask about it, Draco would change the subject, or answer with something terse and vague, and Harry was becoming completely frustrated with the entire situation. Draco still slept with him, but more often than not he just reverted to fox form, allowing Harry to cuddle him but not reciprocating.

His friends tried to console him, (though Ron's words consisted more of a typical 'you're too good for him anyway' rather than actual condolences) but they never really seemed to help. The situation was not made any better by the fact that it seemed the entire school could not get enough of their two heroes. Not realizing the added stress they were causing the two boys, the students continued to be so distracted that the teachers gave up any attempts at lessons, and McGonagall announced that classes would resume after break, and they had better be focused on school again by that time.

It was when plans for Christmas break were being decided that the tension finally reached its peak.

Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Harry and Draco were all sitting around the fire when Ron brought up the subject. "I can't wait for break." He stated out of the blue. "You'll be staying with us, right mate?" he asked, looking directly at Harry. Ginny seemed to perk up slightly at the idea. Just because she couldn't have him didn't mean she couldn't want to spend time with him.

Hermione was looking at Draco a little oddly, as the Slytherin's expression hardened in Ron's direction at the suggestion. In fact she had been watching him quite a bit the last couple of weeks, trying, as usual, to figure everything out.

"Sure Harry, it would be fun!" Ginny exclaimed, and Draco's glare snapped to her. "It'll be the first time we celebrate Christmas after You-Know-Who is gone; I'm sure the whole family will be there and everything!"

Harry was hesitant in his answer, and he glanced sideways at Draco, slipping his hand into the other boy's at the same time. "I…haven't decided what I'm doing for break yet."

"But Harry, we're off in two days!" Ron said, looking quite scandalized. "If you had any plans of staying at the castle, you would have had to sign up already."

Harry shrugged, knowing that he probably could have gotten away with deciding to stay last minute if he really wanted anyway. "I know…I just, well, I mean, what about you, Draco?" he asked, tightening the hold he had on the blonde's hand.

Draco didn't quite meet his eyes when he answered. "Go with them, Harry."

Blinking in surprise, Harry took a moment to answer. "You made that sound like you wouldn't be coming with me."

"Of course not." Draco countered easily. "I'm not subjecting myself to a month of Weasleys."

"Not like we'd want to subject ourselves to you either." Ron grumbled lowly, glaring at the Slytherin.

Harry felt the hand within his flex in irritation, and he gave them both a warning glance. "What did you have in mind then?" Harry asked Draco, hoping to derail any pending argument.

Draco answered with a noncommittal shrug. "I'm going home." He said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"Home?" Harry asked, somewhat confused.

"Are you deaf?" Draco bit back reflexively.

Harry's eyes narrowed. "What's wrong with you Draco? You've been testy for the past two weeks."

"Nothing is wrong with me, Harry." Draco replied, but Harry didn't miss how he subtly pulled his hand from his grasp with the pretense of running it through his hair.

"Then why does it feel like you're reverting to the way you used to be?"

"Didn't I tell you it's part of who I am?" Draco didn't give Harry time to respond before he continued. "Christmas is family time, right? Go spend it with yours."

Slightly thrown off by the sudden change in the tone of Draco's words, Harry answered with the first thing that came to mind. "I don't have a family."

"Oh come on, mate. You know my mum's practically adopted you!" Ron cut in. "You've always been part of our family!"

Harry sent him a guilty glance. "I know that, I just meant, well…you're all like my family, of course. But I…" he trailed off, at a slight loss for words as he looked to Draco. "But Draco, your family…"

"And that's why I'm going home." Draco snapped, looking off to the side. "I've got a bunch of work to do at the manor, and I don't need you distracting me."

Anger flashed through Harry's eyes. "Distracting?" he repeated, the hurt in his voice not quite hidden. "You're going to be doing _work_ for a month straight?"

Draco's arms crossed. "I have to. You go have fun with the Weasel crew." He said disdainfully.

"What the hell is your problem?" Harry asked a little louder than he intended, but Draco's attitude was becoming just so frustrating!

Then with seemingly no provocation, Draco suddenly stood up and turned, locking furious gray eyes with Harry's own bewildered ones. "I don't have a fucking problem! Just go enjoy your damn vacation and leave me to mine!" and then with a swirl of robes, he was out the door.

There was absolute silence after the Slytherin's departure, as no one knew quite how to react. Hermione watched sadly as Harry's features twisted from dejected hurt, to righteous anger, and back again. Suddenly he stood up, and stalked up the stairs into the dormitory, and didn't come back down.

Ron crossed his arms and frowned. "I knew nothing good would come of him being around." He grumbled, feeling bad for Harry even if it had been the boy they'd hated for years that did that to his best friend.

"I think it might be more complicated than that, Ron." Hermione said softly. But when Ron asked her what she meant, she only pursed her lips, and shook her head.

They didn't see Draco at all for the next two days, and it was with a heavy heart that Harry joined Ron and Hermione on the train departing from Hogwarts. He spared a smile for Molly when she grabbed him into a bear hug when they arrived at King's Cross Station, but Hermione and Ron exchanged glances when they saw how he forced it. Both of them hoped Harry wouldn't be depressed over their vacation.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A/N: So I really was going to only have one more chapter, but when this one hit 30 pages and still had a bunch of things to tie up, I decided to split it. So, sorry if the end seems a bit cut off…but it was the best place I found to separate it. (I even added that last sentence to have a semblance of an ending.) Yeah, I would have had this out earlier if I had realized this sooner. Oh well…here you go, anyway!


	13. Christmas Charm

Well here it is: The last chapter! Notes at the bottom as usual.

And a huge grande-sized thank you to my beta 13thMoonWitch! He's helped me out probably more than he realizes. Thanks so much! .:glomps:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

**Chapter 13:** Christmas Charm

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

"I reckon he just went home," Ron stated with conviction as he, Harry, Hermione and Ginny sat in Ron's room discussing the situation. Hermione was there as she had asked her parents to spend the first week of vacation with the Weasleys. 

"But _why_?" Harry asked softly. "I thought everything was great…but then something happened and it's like he just…closed off."

"Harry," Hermione said as she stood up. "Come with me, I want to talk to you." She walked over and grabbed his hand, leading him from the room. "We'll be back," she threw over her shoulder as she closed the door. 

The two friends exited the back of the house and walked in silence for a while, until they reached the wooded area behind the burrow. Harry shoved his hands in his pockets, ducking his head against the chill of the winter wind. "What's up Hermione?" he asked, glancing sideways at her as she crossed her arms under the winter cloak she had grabbed on the way out. 

She paused, thinking over her answer before she spoke. "I've been watching Draco lately…"

Harry gave her a strange look. "Watching him?" he raised an eyebrow at her, and Hermione giggled and playfully punched his arm.

"Not like that, Harry. Cute as he may be, I'm not after your boyfriend."

Harry smiled back at her, before it slowly fell. "I don't know…do I even have a boyfriend for you to be after?" 

Hermione stopped, causing Harry to stop as well and look back at her curiously. "Harry, do you want to know what I saw in his eyes when he looked at you over the last two weeks?"

When she saw she had Harry's full attention, Hermione continued in an encouraging voice. "I saw fear, first and foremost. Beneath that I always saw regret, tension, but most of all I always saw love." 

Harry didn't know what to say for a moment, and he watched a squirrel's progress up a tree as he lost himself in thoughts of the last two weeks. "He looked at you like that?" Harry finally asked.

Hermione laughed. "I think you're missing my point here, Harry. Of course he didn't look at me like that. I saw it when he looked at you."

"But…why would he be scared?" Harry asked, flopping ungracefully onto the ground. 

"Because he was afraid of losing you," she answered easily, sitting down cross-legged in front of Harry.

"Losing me? He was the one pushing me away!"

"Think about it Harry," Hermione said slowly. "Draco's always been the self-preserving type, hasn't he? After all, he wasn't put in Slytherin for no reason. Something must have happened to make him think you were going to leave him."

Harry blinked in surprise. "But that's stupid!" he declared. 

Hermione smiled indulgently. "Of course it is, Harry; we both know that. But Draco doesn't think the same way you or I do. We all know you've got a bit of Slytherin in you, so put yourself in his shoes for a moment."

There was a moment of silence, and only the sounds of the outdoors surrounded them. Come to think of it, the way Draco had been acting was very unusual. The day it all started, Draco had clung to him as if his life depended on it. It was only after that that he began pushing away, and yet there were times as if he wanted nothing more than to be close. Why hadn't he seen it before?

Suddenly Harry's fists clenched and he stood up, glaring at nothing. "_Idiot_" he shouted, pacing two steps and then stopping. "After this summer…after everything I-" He stopped and let out his breath in a long huff. 

Hermione looked at him concernedly. "Harry?" She stood up as well as he turned to look at her. 

"I just can't believe he would doubt me like that."

"Well you're going to set him straight, aren't you?" Hermione asked cheekily.

Harry stopped his resumed pacing and raised an eyebrow. "I have no intention to do any such thing," he replied in the same tone, and Hermione laughed. "I will, however, show him how stupid he's being for just assuming that I'm going to leave him with no indication to prove it whatsoever." 

Hermione smiled, and started guiding Harry back towards the house with a light touch on his arm. "And how are you going to do that?" 

Harry was silent for a moment, studying the grass as he walked. "Christmas," he answered simply. "I'll give him until Christmas in the manor alone. He can think of it as payback for the last two weeks of frustration he's caused me." 

Hermione stopped and raised her eyebrows. Malfoy must be rubbing off on him for such a vengeful plan. She shook her head, and quickly caught up to Harry, who looked quite like he was pouting, and they walked back into the house together. 

Much to Ron and Ginny's frustration, Harry and Hermione would not tell them what they discussed in the forest. Ron then accused them of a quick snogging session, to which Harry laughed and Hermione hit him upside the head.

The rest of the week of Hermione's visit was spent amiably, and became increasingly more fun as more of the Weasleys arrived home for the Holidays. 

The week after Hermione left, Harry got caught up in the excitement of decorating the house. Even through the excitement though, he found his thoughts constantly straying to Draco, and what the boy was doing. 

Although, there was one thing that managed to keep Harry quite a bit distracted from his thoughts. Well, two things, cut from the same mold. It was the day after Hermione left that the two banes of anyone without a sense of humor arrived. 

"Mum!"

"Dad!"

"We're home!" The twins announced with the telltale crack of apparition. Everybody, which included all Weasleys minus Percy, herded to the living room where the two boys had arrived. Molly immediately smothered them in a hug, of course, while Arthur welcomed them home. 

Once they were released, Ginny cut in with a teasing voice, "Did you bring me anything back?" 

The twins looked at each other and feigned shock. "Our dearest sister!" Fred cried. 

"How could we have forgotten?" George answered. Ginny huffed and rolled her eyes. George winked at her, and pulled a box from his robes, enlarging it to a sizeable gift-wrapped box. Ginny reached for it, but George pulled it from her reach. "Uh, uh." He tutted. "Not until Christmas." 

"How torturous to have to wait a week to open the perfect gift, straight from France," Fred sighed dramatically.

"France?" Harry cut in suddenly, and both twins' gazes immediately turned to him. 

"Harry!" Fred cried, tossing his hands up and making his way over to the only dark-haired one of the bunch. He threw his arm over the shorter boy's shoulder, and guided him towards George. 

"Just the guy we wanted to see," George added, placing himself at Harry's other side. They quickly guided Harry through the doorway, causing the rest of the family to exchange curious looks while they asked Harry his ideas on international sales. They spent the rest of the afternoon locked in the twins' bedroom before coming back down to visit with the rest of the family.

Two days before Christmas, Harry told Ron and his family that he would be leaving late the morning of the holiday. There was much protest, but he just shook his head at them. "I need to check up on a certain fox," he replied, and left it at that.

Christmas eve, Harry was lying on his stomach on his bed in Ron's room, idly playing with a small metal object. It glinted in the light, and Harry smirked as the words "Harry J. Potter" flashed into view. 

"What do you have there?" Ron asked as he walked into the room. 

"A gift, of sorts," Harry responded, tucking the item into his pocket.

Ron rolled his eyes at Harry's secretiveness, and plopped down onto his own bed. "Do you really have to leave so early tomorrow?"

Harry's gaze turned slightly sad as he looked out the window, propping his head up in his hands. "I don't want him to spend Christmas alone, Ron. He only just lost his parents, and I can't stand the thought of him spending the day in that manor all by himself." 

Ron raised an eyebrow. "But you've left him alone all this time." 

"That's so he'll appreciate me more when I get there," Harry replied, winking at the redhead, who laughed at the boy's reasoning. Then Harry turned over on his side so that he was facing the wall, and let his expression fall. "Now go to bed Ron. Tomorrow is Christmas after all." 

Ron was a bit thrown by the sudden change, but shrugged, and went to shower and change into his pajamas. By the time he came back into the room, Harry was asleep, still fully clothed.

The next morning, Harry was the first one up, and he jumped into the shower before anyone else could. He changed into a flattering outfit, and threw on his best robes: a very dark green, outlined in silver, with a decorative silver design on the back. He happily made his way down the stairs after he changed and met up with the rest of the Weasleys, immediately diving into the large breakfast Molly had made. He enjoyed the morning events immensely with his adopted family as he waited for the time to go see his fox. 

- - - - - 

Draco found Christmas morning to be a much quieter affair. He hadn't fallen asleep easily the night before; in fact he hadn't fallen asleep easily any night since he had come home. It seemed he missed the warmth of Harry beside him far more than he thought he would. So he spent half the nights missing Harry, and the other half cursing himself for doing so. 

'_I've got to stop thinking about him_!' he thought angrily to himself the next morning as he showered, not even sure why he was bothering. '_He's with a family…that's what Harry needs, a family to love him. I can't give him that…'_ Draco sighed, and rested his forehead against the tiled wall, letting the warm water cascade over him. He stayed that way for a short while, until he decided that was enough wallowing in self-pity for the moment, and stepped out of the shower.

After dressing somewhat nicely – it was Christmas after all, he might as well have _some_ holiday spirit – Draco walked down the stairs, and into the main living area, where he had set up a very welcoming Christmas tree. He lit a fire in the hearth and stepped into the kitchen for a muffin. He had told the house elves not to cook anything, as he really didn't feel like having a feast by himself. After finishing the muffin, he walked back into the living room, where a small pile of gifts awaited him.

'_Of course it would be smaller than usual…_' he realized belatedly. '_I've got no family left to send me anything._' He sniffed once, and pressed his hands against his eyes, willing away the tears that threatened to spill. Once the slight sting had disappeared, Draco removed his hands, and looked over the small pile. There were boxes there from Pansy and Blaise, which surprised him, but delighted him nonetheless. At least they hadn't disowned him completely, then. There was one from Snape as well, sitting prominently among the others. Absently reaching up to run his fingers over the collar around his neck, he looked over the rest, and his small smile faded as he realized there was nothing there from Harry, not even a letter. '_But I really shouldn't expect anything…I've been rather rotten lately…I hope he's having fun._'

His train of thought was quickly cut off though as a very small box appeared with a puff of smoke in front of him. Draco jumped back a bit in surprise, and eyed the small box with suspicion. Slowly he pulled out his wand and tapped it, not quite sure what he was expecting it to do. There was no reaction, and Draco slowly approached it. It seemed harmless enough anyway. Carefully, he took the package into his hands, and opened the lid that was adorned with a big red bow. He pulled aside the tissue, and his eyes widened in surprise as he noticed the contents.

There, lying among more tissue paper, was a dog tag with the inscription "Harry J. Potter" written in an elaborate script. Looking around as if expecting the boy to jump out and yell 'boo!', he slowly took the tag from the box. The polished silver glinted in the light of the large windows as Draco turned the object over fingers. The memory of that day they spent lazing on the couch flashed through his mind, and he laughed despite his somewhat depressing morning. Who knew Harry had been serious about that comment about getting him a tag? But…what did it mean? 

Dropping the box and wrapping on the floor, Draco stood and walked over to the nearest mirror, clipping the tag onto the collar he still wore. He smiled deprecatingly at himself, and flicked the tag, watching as the light caught both that and the jewels set into the collar. "He's turned me into his damned pet," Draco muttered to himself, though the tone was not as angry as the words indicated. In fact, he sounded somewhat amused. 

Shaking his head at himself, Draco walked down the hall into one of the study rooms, and reached into a large cabinet, pulling out a large silver basin with runes etched into the metal. He dragged it into the living room, and set it down with a huff. "Bloody heavy pensieve…" he grumbled, before sitting down cross-legged in front of it. If his Christmas was going to be lonely and unhappy, he might as well spend it immersed in happy memories. 

He had just set the tip of his wand against his temple when a loud 'crack' reverberated through the room, and Draco jumped back with a surprised shout, his wand immediately pointed toward the intruder. He was only able to blink stupidly for a moment, as Harry stood perched with one foot on each side of the pensieve, his arms crossed, eyebrow raised, and a smirk on his lips, looking resplendent in the impeccable dress robes.

Draco was speechless for a moment, as he committed this image to memory along with others he had of Harry before at least part of his brain started working again. The first thing it managed was '_Harry! He's here!'_ The second was "How did you manage that?" He indicated Harry's feet with a nod of his head, and mentally kicked himself for that being the first thing out of his mouth. 

Harry blinked and looked down, then laughed at the entire situation. "Sheer dumb luck," he answered as he hopped off the silver basin. He took a couple more steps, unfolding his arms as he did so, and dropped to his knees in front of Draco. "Now I believe we've got a few things to talk about," he said seriously. 

Draco swallowed a little nervously, and shifted so that he sat on his knees in front of Harry, mimicking the other boy's position. "Like…what?" 

Harry leveled a deadpan stare in his direction, and Draco smiled innocently. Harry sighed and rolled his eyes, before a silver glint at Draco's neck caught his eye, and he smiled. Tentatively, Harry reached forward, and ran his fingers over the tag. "Well that answers that question at least."

"What question?" Draco asked as Harry retracted his hand. 

"That the idea of being with me isn't appalling to you."

"Harry…" Draco said in a whisper, while sounding forceful as well. He reached forward and pulled Harry's hands from his lap, holding them tightly in his own. "Of course it isn't!"

"What was I supposed to think then?" he asked, maybe a bit harsher than he had intended. Draco averted his gaze, looking suddenly shamed as his grip tightened. Harry ran his thumbs over the back of Draco's hands, and continued in a softer, more assuring voice. "Draco, to my knowledge I hadn't done anything, and then suddenly you started pulling away from like you'd grown tired of being around me." 

"Never…" Draco said so softly that Harry had to strain to hear it. "But Harry this isn't what's best for you!" he suddenly exclaimed, trying to pull his hands back but Harry would have none of it, and Draco soon relented to the iron grip. However he was not deterred from this sudden desire to tell Harry the reasons he had acted the way he did. "You deserve so much more than this…than me. You deserve a loving family, and children, and…and so much more." His voice grew softer at the end, and once again his gaze traveled to the floor. 

There was a long, tense moment of silence, and finally Draco looked up into Harry's eyes, only to gasp at what he saw there. The gaze set on him was so intense it was almost uncomfortable, and yet there were tears creating a misty sheen over the beautiful emerald orbs. "You_idiot_," Harry muttered, and Draco blinked in surprise. "Is that why you wanted me to go with the Weasleys?" 

"Weasley…Ginny…she would be good for you…"

"And since when do you get off judging what's good for me?" Harry growled, and Draco looked up in surprise at the near dangerous tone. It had been a long time since anything remotely hostile had been sent in his direction from Harry. "What in Merlin's name put you on this ridiculous train of thought?" he continued, sounding genuinely baffled within his annoyance. 

There was silence again as Harry waited for an answer. "Nott," Draco finally whispered.

"What?"

"Theodore Nott. He…he reminded me you'd never really had a family. You want one, don't you? You'd make a wonderful father, Harry…but you can't do that if you stay with me. All I can give you is…stuff…bought things…and I know you've never put a huge importance on that."

"Stop," Harry said finally. "Just stop it." 

When Draco looked up, there was a spark in Harry's eyes that he couldn't place for the life of him, but he wasn't smiling. Harry pulled his hands away and stood up, walking over to the window, and staring out of it. 

"Harry?"

"Do you really think that, Draco?"

"What?" Draco asked, still sitting in his spot on the floor.

"You think I would be happy with Ginny because I could have children with her?" 

"Well…"

"And what if I don't want children, Draco?" He sighed, and pressed his forehead against the window, staring out at the serene, frosted landscape. "To be honest, the thought of having children of my own scares me to death; I'm too young to be thinking about that anyway." He placed his hand against the window, smiling in mild amusement as his breath clouded the glass around his fingers. "I don't care about that at all, Draco. I want you…and _only_ you. Merlin only knows why you decided to listen to _Nott _of all people, but I can tell you that _he _definitely has no idea of who _I _am and what it is that _I_ want." He turned back around, and walked slowly towards Draco, the beautiful robes swishing gently with each step. 

Draco watched him carefully, thinking over what Harry had just said. It wasn't that he had believed Nott, per se…just that the points he brought up were things Draco had thought of subconsciously, but buried in the back of his mind. He wanted to respond to several things in Harry's last statements, but couldn't decide which of them was most important. So while he was debating, Harry had reached him, and sat down in his lap in such a position that his mind was immediately taken back to the moment of their first kiss. 

"Now that we've set those thoughts straight, are there any other inane insecurities I should know about? Any more lack of faith in my sincerity you want to share?"

"Harry, I don't lack-" he cut short at the look on Harry's face, and sighed, dropping his head to rest on Harry's shoulder. "Okay. Okay, just say it. I'm a moron, a jerk, an insecure, inconsiderate-" and again he cut off as Harry chuckled, and placed his hands on either side of Draco's face. 

Harry pressed his cheek against Draco's hair, inhaling the sweet scent of shampoo – strawberry by Harry's guess –and that which was purely Draco. "I'm not calling you all of that. But I'm not going to lie and say those two weeks didn't hurt." 

Draco's breath caught in his throat, and he threw his arms around Harry's waist. "I didn't mean to, I mean…shit, I'm sorry Harry. I was just…"

"Hermione seems to think you were afraid of losing me."

Draco blinked, as he thought that over for a moment. "Insightful girl, isn't she? Can you blame me though? You're probably the most wanted guy in the wizarding world, and you said yourself you hadn't thought about guys until me."

There was a slight pause, and Harry began running his fingers through Draco's hair. "And shouldn't that tell you something, love? What happened to the Draco that was calling _me_ stupid for asking to call you mine?"

Draco laughed humorlessly. "Hey, we're all allowed our moments, right?"

Harry smiled, and pressed a kiss to Draco's temple. "I suppose. But now, this one of yours is over." He said with finality. His hands found Draco's cheeks again, and he pulled his head up, showing Draco with his eyes alone that his doubts were founded on nothing. 

Harry leaned forward, keeping contact with Draco's eyes as he moved. Then he closed his own eyes, and playfully bumped Draco's nose with his own. Draco snorted in amusement at the silly gesture, but otherwise said nothing. Harry smiled, and kissed the corner of Draco's mouth, pausing a moment before resting his lips fully atop the other's. Before Draco could respond, he pulled back, and gave him another light kiss. And another, and another, until Draco laughed and placed his hand on the back of Harry's neck to keep him in place. 

Harry placed his hands on Draco's upper arms, and pushed him backwards until he was lying fully on the plush carpet, pinning his arms as he did so. He allowed Draco a full, lingering kiss before he pulled back again. He kissed Draco's cheeks, his forehead, nose and eyelids. He didn't really want this to turn into anything more. He wanted to show Draco how much he was loved, and how silly it was for him to have doubted Harry. 

When the rain of kisses stopped, Draco slowly opened his eyes, slightly startled at the intense emerald gaze that met his own. Harry raised one hand, and softly traced Draco's features, brushing his bangs back and smoothing over his eyebrows. He stroked his cheeks, and traced his lips, all with a sort of reverent expression that left Draco feeling as if he was being worshipped and caused him to blush. "Harry…?" he asked softly, wondering at the thoughtful expression on his boyfriend's face. 

"I love you Draco," Harry suddenly said, looking slightly surprised only for a moment after he said it, before his expression again melted into that loving gaze. 

Draco's eyes widened as he let that simple four-word sentence play through his head several times. Then he smiled, and placed his hands on either side of the other teen's face. "I love you too, Harry," He whispered, and if it sounded a little choked, neither boy mentioned it. 

Harry sighed, and let his body slump forward, resting his head on Draco's shoulder. He trailed his fingers up and down Draco's side, simply enjoying this moment after a full month without the affection from the blonde he had so come to crave. After a while in contented silence, Harry lifted his head and placed a kiss on Draco's jaw. Merry Christmas, love." 

Draco tightened his grip around Harry's waist, trailing circles over the smooth material of Harry's cloak. "Merry Christmas, Harry," he whispered back, and they laid in silence a little bit longer. The fire crackled merrily beside them, creating a cozy atmosphere for the two lovers, and Draco closed his eyes, absorbing every bit of the warmth of the boy on top of him. Harry's hand began petting his hair again, and he sighed happily. 

"So you were just going to spend Christmas here alone?" Harry asked in a low voice, as if afraid to disturb the peace of the atmosphere. He felt more than saw Draco's nod, and the barely whispered 'yes'. "Just because you wanted me to be with family?" Again, Draco nodded, and Harry let out an odd sound that might have been a laugh, and shook his head. "I don't know whether I should punch you or kiss you."

"If it helps…" Draco piped up, "I rather like the second option." 

Harry chuckled, and kissed under Draco's chin. After a thoughtful pause he said, "I guess I can understand the reasoning for the pensieve…" 

Draco shrugged. "Better a semblance of company…I suppose." 

"Oh Draco," Harry sighed, burying his face in the boy's neck. "I still can't believe you would do something so…self-sacrificial. You really _have_ been spending too much time with me," he said with a laugh, and Draco reached up, flicking Harry's ear in retaliation. It was such a simple gesture, but one that was so tenderly familiar that Harry lifted his head and smiled at Draco, eyes sparkling in amusement. 

"No such thing," Draco said in response to Harry's statement, smiling affectionately in return. 

Their lips met in a sweet kiss, expressing apologies and forgiveness in one fluid motion of lips and tongue. When they pulled away, Draco left an innocent kiss on his Gryffindor's cheek, and said, "Thank you for coming, Harry." 

Harry shook his head, and rested his forehead against Draco's. "I've fought the urge to come straight over here every day since vacation started. Or at least, since Hermione made me realize why you might have been acting how you were."

Curious, Draco asked, "Why didn't you then?"

"Because one: I suppose I did want to spend a bit of time with the Weasleys, and two: I really had been hurt. I guess I just…wanted to make you feel the sort of alienation I felt from you," he replied, a bit of shamed embarrassment creeping into his voice at the admittance.

Draco raised an eyebrow, hiding the wince of both his own guilt and the sting of Harry's words. "I didn't know vindictive was your style, Harry." 

Harry mimicked the expression and said, "It is, when it's a personal offense." Then he touched his nose to Draco's, and smiled softly. "But I'm done now. I'll be your passive, lovable Gryffindor again." 

Surprised into laughter, Draco lifted his head the inch between them and kissed his 'lovable Gryffindor.' "I guess we're both a bad influence on each other then, aren't we?" he asked, and Harry chuckled in return. 

"Or maybe we're just a good balance," he said, and then sat up, reaching to pull Draco up as well. He took a quick look around before turning back to Draco. "I'm going to take a wild guess and say you didn't have any lunch plans, either." 

Draco gave a small smile and shrugged. "Feasting alone would just look pathetic." 

Harry chuckled and stood up. "Well good." He ruffled Draco's hair as he walked past, simply to bug the boy, and continued on towards the kitchen, which was just visible from the room they were in. 

"Harry…?" Draco questioned, smoothing his hair absently as he watched his boyfriend walk purposefully from the room. "Where are you going?"

"To make lunch, of course!" Harry replied, voice fading as he got farther away. 

Now that was something Draco would never get tired of, he thought with a smile. As he heard the distant sound of pots and pans and other things being moved around in the kitchen, his hand reached up to finger the tag attached to his collar again, and he mentally cursed Nott with every hex and word he knew. And then for good measure he cursed himself as well for being goaded by the other Slytherin in the first place. 

With a sigh, Draco stood, and made his way to the kitchen. He arrived to the somewhat familiar sight of Harry practically dancing around the kitchen, humming some Christmas tune only slightly off-key. Draco leaned against the doorway with a small, amused smile, and a sudden image struck him forcefully. Harry's behavior immediately made Draco think 'housewife' and the sudden odd image of Harry like this in the kitchen every day and with a child or two, and maybe a dog or cat running around left an interesting impression in his mind. Shaking his head against the sudden and random thought, Draco said, "You do realize that apparating into someone's home without permission is considered breaking and entering, right?"

Harry jumped the smallest bit, and turned from the bowl of ingredients he was mixing, taking a few seconds to catch up with Draco's thoughts. He smirked, finished mixing, and set the spoon down before walking over to Draco, stopping about a foot before him. "I'm not sure it's considered 'breaking' if your wards put up no resistance." 

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well of course they didn't; you can apparate through the wards of _Hogwarts_, so I shouldn't expect mine to be much of a challenge." 

Chuckling in response, Harry rested his hand lightly over Draco's heart. "Maybe so, but I didn't have to force through them; in fact I felt rather like I was being welcomed with open arms. And the wards of a home are connected directly to its master, are they not, _Master_ Malfoy?"

Draco blinked, but nodded. Apparently he _had_ given Harry permission, he just didn't know it. 

"Besides, I would have forced past them anyway," Harry said with a grin, moving his hand from Draco's chest to his waist, and joining his other hand with it behind Draco's back. Draco raised his brows, and Harry smiled and rested his head against Draco's shoulder. "I was pissed off, and I wanted to see you; if I couldn't apparate I'd have probably just blasted through your door."

Draco snorted in amusement. "How Gryffindor of you."

"And you wouldn't have me any other way." 

Again, Draco rolled his eyes, but didn't actually argue the point. He'd be lying if he did. Then suddenly, a thought occurred to Draco, and he tugged a lock of Harry's hair, hard enough to get the boy to pull away and glare at him. 

"What was that for?" the raven-haired boy complained, bringing one hand up to rub at the offended spot. 

Draco smiled and kissed his forehead. "You keep cooking, love. I've got to go check on something." Harry gave him a curious look, no doubt wondering just what that 'something' was, but Draco just shook his head. He pulled out of Harry's grasp, gave the boy a wink, and sauntered out of the kitchen. 

Harry stood a moment, blinking in confusion, before rolling his eyes at his boyfriend's behavior and returning to the incomplete meal before him. 

Draco laughed inwardly to himself at the look he'd left on Harry's face, and walked with a purposeful stride as he felt Harry's eyes on him until he was out of sight. He walked through several hallways, twisting and turning and down a flight of stairs until he came to a large door at the end of the hallway. It was a beautiful dark wood with a large '_M_' covering almost the entire barrier. He placed his hand over the spot where a handle would be, and there was a resounding click of heavy metal sliding apart as his magical signature was recognized. 

The door slid open, and Draco entered the dark, downward spiraling staircase. Torches on each side lit as he went until he reached the bottom, and as he stepped onto the marble floor, a row of torches on each side of the wall flared to life, one by one, until the flames danced off many glittering jewels and treasures. He smiled at the beauty of it, and mused that he should bring Harry down here; it really was a very pretty sight. 

Continuing on with his mission, Draco walked to a pedestal near the center of the room, where a single medallion lay on the velvet cushions. The medallion was about an inch and a half in diameter, and solid white gold. There was a serpent carved into the front, and an elaborate rendition of the Malfoy crest on the back. A smile spread across Draco's face as he picked up the necklace, the chain resting comfortably over his palm. 

Harry's arrival made him suddenly realize that he had not gotten the boy a gift. What sort of a boyfriend was he? He'd been so caught up in moping around, and thinking about Harry being better off without him, that gifts and Christmas hadn't even crossed his mind. He would make up for that, though.

Not bothering with the rest of the Malfoy treasures and heirlooms, he made his way back up the stairs, the torches going out again with a puff as he passed. 

- - - - - - - - -

Harry picked up his tune again as he seasoned the steak before him, and placed it on the grill. The kitchen was equipped with every possible cooking device imaginable, and he smiled slightly as he thought of all the possibilities. He should pick up a cookbook, and make something special every week for Draco and then…

He stopped and blinked as he realized he had just been planning a steady life at the manor with Draco. Blushing profusely, Harry shook his head and went back to his work. The kitchen was suddenly too silent now, and he waved his hand, causing cheery Christmas tunes to play from nowhere and he nodded in satisfaction.

When Draco reappeared, it was with an amused smile at the new entertainment. "Finally realized you can't sing?" 

Harry scowled playfully. "Just realized your house needs more cheering than I could possibly accomplish by myself." 

"Tell me about it," Draco agreed with a roll of his eyes. "It's not all bad though, I quite like the dark charm of the manor," he said with a wink. "Rather like myself, don't you think?" 

Harry laughed and shook his head. "Your charm is in no way dark," he retorted easily.

Draco raised an eyebrow, and his expression turned into something that was almost predatory. He walked purposely forward until he stood just behind Harry, who had only turned his head to talk. He draped his arms over Harry's shoulders, and leaned forward until he was pushing Harry against the counter, and green eyes widened. "Isn't it?" Draco whispered against Harry's ear. "Perhaps I'm losing my touch…I should work on that." He grinned as Harry's breath hitched, and trailed his hands over the smaller boy's chest, before wrapping his arms around his waist and nipping lightly at his ear. He smiled devilishly at Harry's flushed face, and left a wet kiss on his neck before pulling away. "Come into the living room when you're done there, and we'll have a proper Christmas morning," he said, and Harry nodded mutely as Draco left the kitchen again. 

It was a full minute before Harry broke from the daze he'd been left in, and he sighed deeply to settle his breathing. Draco had barely done anything to him and yet his heart fluttered and his stomach was doing flips in anticipation. A silly grin spread across his face; no one had ever had this sort of effect on him before and he loved it. So placing the scalloped potatoes in the oven along with the steak, and covering the onions sautéed in wine sauce (he had managed to solicit the help of a few discovered house elves for the ingredients), he stopped himself from skipping into the living room, and instead walked calmly through the doorway. 

Draco sat on an armchair near the fire, sprawled comfortably, and smiled at Harry when he came in. Harry smiled back, and walked over to the chair, plopping down in Draco's lap and eliciting a disgruntled 'oof' from his partner. Despite his apparent annoyance, Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's waist easily. 

Harry leaned back against Draco's chest to enjoy the moment for a few minutes, before suddenly leaping up with a cry of "Presents!" Draco only raised an eyebrow and a bemused smile crossed his lips as Harry grinned and moved to perch on the arm of the chair, summoning one of Draco's presents to him. 

Taking the proffered gift, Draco tilted his head curiously. "What about you?" 

Harry waved him off with a shrug. "I opened all my gifts at the Weasleys'."

Draco frowned when he realized Harry didn't even seem to expect a present from him. Or at least, he was doing a very good job of hiding it. Either way, it reflected back on him with a surge of guilt he could do without. It also reminded him why there had been times he'd been happy as the insensitive git he was: separating his emotions kept him from feeling that tightening of his chest. 

"What did that box do to you?"

Draco looked up in surprise at the sudden question to see Harry watching him with an amused twinkle in his eye. "You were frowning at the gift like it offended you." Harry clarified, and Draco immediately cleared his expression. 

"Sorry. Just…thinking," he muttered. He felt Harry's hand brush across his foot, which was pressed against the armrest, as he began unwrapping his gift. Neither said anything else as Draco finished with the small pile of colorful boxes under the tree. Harry watched interestedly as different variations of delight and amusement passed across Draco's face, and when Draco finally looked up with a knowing smile, Harry blushed and averted his gaze to the Christmas tree. 

After another small moment of silence, the song 'Greensleeves' began playing on Harry's invisible radio, and Draco smiled. "You haven't gotten all of your gifts yet." 

Harry looked up in slight confusion, but seemed pleased all the same. "You got me something?" 

"You don't have to sound so surprised," Draco muttered, and Harry chuckled. "Then again, you have every reason to be. I…didn't actually plan it, as I was too caught up in my ridiculous fit of self-pity…but it's something I want to give you all the same."

At Harry's bemusedly interested look, Draco reached into his pocket, and pulled out the medallion, cupping it in his hand. He grabbed one of Harry's hands with his own, and brought it towards himself, laying his other hand over Harry's and clasping them over the necklace. 

"This is…a family heirloom, a very special one," he said as he slowly retracted his hand, leaving the shining metal exposed to Harry's eyes. "It's been passed through many generations, and to each one, it represents a promise." 

Harry blinked and looked up from his close examination of the necklace. "Promise?" he echoed, absently fingering the chain as he waited for Draco to elaborate. 

Draco smiled and stood, walking over to stand beside the armrest Harry was currently perched on. "A promise," he repeated. "It's a promise that, even though I may do stupid things, or seem like I don't care, I still…love you." The term of affection was obviously still foreign on his tongue, and Harry smiled slightly at that. Draco laughed softly and shook his head at his own sappiness. "See what you've turned me into?" he muttered.

Harry laughed, and sent him a charming grin. "Didn't I tell you that you were just a big softy at heart?" 

Raising an eyebrow, Draco deigned to correct him. "No, you told me I was a romantic at heart." 

Harry rolled his eyes. "Same thing, love." 

Draco smirked in response, and moved behind Harry, reaching around him to pluck the necklace from his fingers. "If the receiver allows the necklace to be placed about his neck," Draco whispered into his ear, causing Harry to shiver slightly, "then the medallion stays as a symbol. Sort of a…manifestation, if you will."

"Of what?" Harry whispered, leaning back into the warmth that Draco simply radiated. 

"That's never been clearly defined," Draco answered, tilting his head so that his words were spoken into the soft skin of Harry's neck. "It's very ancient magic residing within that necklace, and not all of it has been remembered from one generation to the next."

"That's unfortunate," Harry responded, and Draco wondered how much thought was put into the process of Harry's speech at the moment. The boy was sensitive, and Draco loved it. 

"Mm, it is. Will you accept it, Harry?" he whispered, sucking lightly at the junction of Harry's neck and shoulder. 

Harry hummed his approval as he tilted his head to the side. "Keep doing that and I'm likely to accept anything," he mumbled, and Draco laughed, sending warm puffs of breath over Harry's skin. 

"I'm serious, Harry." 

"So am I, Dragon," Harry responded, even as his eyes slid shut. "You think I would be here if I had any intention of letting you go? Because that would have been the opportune time." 

Draco stopped for a moment at that realization, and nodded, almost absently, and placed a lingering kiss on Harry's temple. He brought the necklace up, and clasped the chain around Harry's neck, pulling his hair from beneath it. "Your hair's grown a lot…" he noted unnecessarily, running his hands through the dark locks and massaging Harry's scalp as he went. 

A warm sensation began spreading simultaneously from both the medallion against his chest, and the fingers in his hair, and traveled all over his body until the dark-haired boy was left with the most delightful languid sensation that left him practically boneless and purring against Draco's chest. 

A light rumble from said chest alerted him to Draco's laughter, and Harry tilted his head back, opening one eye in question. "What?"

"Come now, Harry, I know I'm amazing with my hands, but that was a little much."

Harry rolled his eyes and lifted his hand to punch Draco lightly in the shoulder in retaliation. "I think it was the medallion, oh Mr. Magic Fingers." Then he decided he didn't care what it was, and didn't wait for Draco's response before spinning around, and wrapping both arms and legs around Draco's waist, bringing the boy flush against him. He kissed the hollow of Draco's throat, and then underneath his chin, while splaying his palms over the boy's stomach. "Thank you Draco," he said finally. "I love it." 

Draco smiled, and brought his lips to Harry's, succumbing to an impassioned kiss. "I wish I had gotten you more…" Draco mumbled against that wondrous mouth, not quite willing to pull away. 

Harry shook his head, though a small smile tugged at his lips. "You don't have to get me anything else Draco; you didn't have to get me anything at all." He heard a ding from the kitchen, and smiled up at Draco, wrapping his arms around the taller boy's neck. "I'm happy with just having you back. This is the best Christmas present ever," he said with conviction, and kissed Draco deeply once more, allowing his tongue to map every bit of the boy's mouth before pulling away. "Now then, take me to the kitchen: lunch is ready." He hopped up, and wrapped his arms and legs tighter around his boyfriend so that Draco was supporting his full weight. 

Draco stumbled back a couple steps with a grunt of surprise before regaining his balance, and glaring at the grinning Harry. Much to his own chagrin, Harry was forgiven as soon as he placed a happy yet loving peck on Draco's lips, and rested his head on the taller boy's shoulder. So Draco just rolled his eyes, and with an affectionately muttered "Big baby," he took them both to the kitchen. They took the food back to the living room, and had one of the best meals either of them had ever had on the plush rug in front of the fire. 

- - - - - - - - - 

"And _I'm_ telling _you_ it doesn't work that way."

"How do you know, oh Knower-Of-All-Things?"

"Draco, I _lived_ with muggles. I think I know how a vacuum cleaner works." 

"Yeah, well…I still say it does." 

Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head, a very slight smile playing at his lips. He wasn't even sure how they had gotten into a conversation on vacuum cleaners of all things, but somehow they had, on their way to King's Cross Station. It was a nice day considering it was mid-January, and they decided to apparate a distance away from the station, simply so they could enjoy a walk there, hands linked between them and swinging lightly. The sun was out but the air was crisp, creating just enough chill to redden their cheeks, while their bodies stayed warm under winter cloaks. Their luggage was shrunk into their pockets and they talked about inconsequential things as they walked, even vacuum cleaners. 

It took them about twenty minutes to arrive at the station, and as they passed through the barrier they were met with the usual bustling crowd of students ready to go back to school. 

"Harry!" called an excited voice over the crowd, and Harry turned to find Hermione waving at him, hopping slightly to be seen over the other people. She was standing with the Weasleys, the ones returning to school, anyway. Harry smiled and started to make his way over. Draco turned to follow him out of reflex, but turned around again when he caught sight of Ron. 

Harry laughed and grabbed his sleeve, dragging his disgruntled boyfriend along with him. 

"I see you two got things sorted out," Hermione said when they neared. 

With a smile, Harry released his grip on Draco's arm to drag him into an exaggeratedly enthusiastic bear hug, giving him a gentle noogie just to top it off. "Yup!" he chirped. Draco couldn't respond as the air had been squeezed from his lungs. 

"Harry…let…go!" he finally managed, causing Harry to smile sheepishly and release him, running his hands over Draco's robes as if to remove wrinkles or lent. 

Draco rolled his eyes, and flicked Harry's ear, causing Harry to laugh and stop his fussing. Draco smirked back, and slung an arm over the boy's shoulders, tilting his head to rest against Harry's and turning his gaze coolly over the platform. His eyes landed on Pansy and Blaise a small distance away, and the conversation Harry and his friends were having faded into the background as he locked eyes with Pansy. 

Nothing passed between them for a moment, before she lowered her eyes in a sign of apology. Draco smiled almost unnoticeably, and made a move to step towards them, but Pansy quickly shook her head. She nodded towards Nott, who was not far from them, and Draco scowled. 

Harry, feeling the sudden tension in the arm around his shoulders, turned and gave Draco a curious look. "You okay?" he asked. Draco tore his eyes from his old group to look at Harry.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." His tone wasn't very convincing, but Harry decided to let it slide for now, and just pressed himself closer into Draco's side. 

"Oh yeah!" Harry said suddenly, and turned towards Ron. "I believe you owe someone an apology." 

Ron blinked in surprise, and looked to his left, and right, before pointing to himself questioningly. 

Rolling his eyes, Harry said, "Yes, you Ron." 

Ron stuck his lower lip out into a pout. "What do I have to apologize for?" 

Harry sighed irritably. "How about wrongly accusing someone of evil intent? Verbally assaulting someone who had made no move to provoke you into doing so? Or being the first to start a pointless argument that only ended up with pain on both sides?"

Ron grunted in acknowledgment, and mumbled under his breath so that it was barely audible, "Sorry."

Draco hesitated for a moment, then dipped his chin once, in a sort of jerky movement that showed the acceptance was about as sincere as the apology. Of course Draco had no illusions that he would be skipping around in sunny fields with the trio anytime soon. No, Harry was the only one he really cared about. For his sake, he would tolerate Ron. But he had no plans to really forgive the redhead for his words before winter break until the boy could see him for who he was now, and he didn't see that happening any time soon. 

Harry pulled from Draco's hold, and walked up to Ron, placing his hands on each of the taller boy's shoulders. "Ronald Weasley, you always have been, and always will be my best friend. But sometimes you can be just a little bit hard-headed. Then again, so can Draco." He stopped and glanced at Draco, blinking as he thought about that, and suddenly turned to Hermione. "Remind me, why am I with these two again?" 

Hermione giggled in response, and answered simply, "Because you're just as hard-headed as they are, Harry." 

"Ah yes," he responded in a way that reminded the two Gryffindors rather forcefully of Dumbledore. "Right then, as I was saying, and I said it before break as well: if you can't get along, just ignore each other. But I won't tolerate such insults of each other anymore."

Ron looked somewhat like his favorite toy had been snatched away from him, but he reluctantly conceded. 

"Besides," Harry continued, "I thought you had accepted it before."

Ron shrugged, and looked up at Harry with a shy grin. "I said I accepted the relationship. I never said anything about liking it…or him." 

Harry smiled and shook his head, realizing the good intention buried beneath Ron's thoughtless words. "Just give it time, Ron. Now come on everyone, let's board the train before it leaves us behind." 

The ride back to Hogwarts was mostly uneventful. There was a moment of surprise when Ron and Draco both ordered the same thing from the snack trolley, and Harry smiled before turning his head back towards the window, his palm resting lightly over Draco's. 

- - - - - - - - - 

"Mr. Malfoy!"

Draco looked up in surprise as his name was called as he made his way towards the Gryffindor tower with Harry and the others. "Yes, Professor?" he asked as McGonagall strode quickly in his direction. 

"I need to speak with you about your sleeping arrangements." There was almost no one else in this section of hallway, so McGonagall didn't deem it necessary to drag the boy all the way to her office for what was likely to be a very short conversation.

Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise. "My sleeping arrangements? What about them?" he asked curiously.

McGonagall cleared her throat, and looked as if she was vaguely uncomfortable with her next words. "Well, it has come to my attention that you have been…sharing a bed with Mr. Potter, here." 

Harry blushed, and the rest of the small group snickered.

"Yes, well," McGonagall continued, "There is a reason the stairs will not allow a boy into the girls' dorms, but it seems as if your situation was overlooked." Draco's gaze turned slightly cold in defensiveness, and McGonagall hurried her next words. "No matter the gender, or orientation, it is still inappropriate for students to be sharing a bed. And, as I know, you may not be fully welcomed back into Slytherin, and we cannot allow more beds into the Gryffindor rooms–"

"Why not, Professor?" Ron cut in suddenly, causing McGonagall to stumble mid-sentence and glance over at him. 

"Because, Mr. Weasley, Hogwarts works in a curious way: once the students have all been sorted, no more or no less beds will be placed into each house than what is necessary for all its members," she answered smoothly before turning to Draco again. "As I was saying, since no more beds are allowed, I suggest one of Hogwarts' guest rooms until the end of the year."

Draco immediately looked interested. "You mean I'd get my own room?" 

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, that is what I mean." 

"Well then, I've no complaints," he answered easily.

McGonagall nodded. "Very well then, I will have your stuff moved, and send a house elf to you soon to show you where you will be staying. Now I must get back to my office. Good day to all of you." And then she was gone as quick as she came, leaving Draco grinning like the Cheshire cat as they made their way back to the Gryffindor tower. 

Harry folded his arms over his chest, and grumbled lowly so that only Draco could hear, "You sure were quick to accept that one." Hermione, Ron and Ginny were walking in front of them, leading the way to the portrait. 

Draco chuckled, and stepped up behind Harry, wrapping his arms around the shorter boy's shoulders. "My _own room_, Harry. You have an invisibility cloak, a very handy map, and more power than you'll ever know what to do with." He lowered his mouth so that his breath ghosted across Harry's ear, and said, "Make use of them." 

Harry's eyes widened as he realized Draco's intent, and blushed heavily, while resisting the urge to smack himself for being so dense. He lifted his arms and wrapped them around Draco's neck, tilting his head for a somewhat awkward, but no less pleasant, kiss until finally the other three noticed they weren't following, and turned back around. 

"My eyes!" Ron cried, and turned around and started walking again. 

The girls giggled, and shared a grin with each other. "I think it's cute," Hermione commented. 

"And hot," Ginny agreed. Both girls laughed again, and turned to follow Ron to the Gryffindor common room, leaving Harry and Draco to their moment of privacy in the public hallway. 

- - - - - - - - - 

When Harry awoke the next morning, he had no desire to get up. The bed he lay on was very comfortable, and the body next to him was warm, and he buried his face in Draco's neck, inhaling the sweet scent that was both a lovely – if not somewhat girly, he thought with amused affection – lavender body wash, and Draco's own. 

Draco chuckled as the exhale of Harry's breath tickled his throat. He had been lying awake for a few minutes, enjoying the moment before they were forced to get up and go to class. Unfortunately, that moment was now, and he reached over to poke Harry in the ribs. "Come on sleepy-head, we've got classes." 

Harry groaned and pulled the covers over his head, consequently lifting them to Draco's chin. Draco laughed again, and pushed the covers back down, before grinning evilly and shoving Harry over the side of the bed. 

The Gryffindor fell with a shout of surprise, and glared up at Draco. "Fine, fine, I'm up, git," he mumbled, before gathering his dignity and stalking towards the bathroom to take a shower. 

Still smiling slightly in amusement, Draco stood and stretched, silently thanking McGonagall for the private room. This was much better than sharing the bed in the Gryffindor dorms! The boys hadn't even done anything last night; just the fact that they _could_ if they so chose made Draco grin, and he wondered if McGonagall was even aware of the opportunities she had inadvertently provided. 

After he and Harry had gotten ready for the day, they headed off to their first class, mourning the loss of winter break. Harry's hand, in an absent movement, reached up to clutch the pendant around his neck, a habit garnered since he received the gift for Christmas. Draco smiled sideways at him, but otherwise did not comment. He was glad to know the gift was appreciated.

The day passed by rather uneventfully, as everyone readjusted to the rhythm of a typical school day. It was on they boys' way back to Draco's room after class for a bit of down time that something worth noting happened. 

When Harry wasn't paying attention, someone bumped against his shoulder roughly. He stopped and turned around, sending an annoyed glare at the offender, before he realized who it was. "Nott!" he shouted, and the dark-haired Slytherin turned around.

"What?" Nott answered with a sneer. 

Harry frowned at the tone, and crossed his arms. "Don't act clueless, it doesn't become a Slytherin," he said, sparing barely a glance for a few passers-by that were stopping to see the confrontation already on the first day back.

Nott's gaze flicked to Harry's chest, where the necklace lay proudly next to his heart. "Oh yes, and you would know _all_ about Slytherins wouldn't you, considering you're dating the house whore!"

Harry was at Nott's throat before anyone even saw him move. "Don't you _ever_ call him that again," Harry hissed dangerously, tightening his grip around the boy's throat as he leaned in threateningly, eyes practically burning into Nott's own in their intensity. Draco shivered as he took in Harry's form, and decided then it was very nice having that voice defending him. He was distracted though as Nott spoke again.

Nott's eyes slid to meet Draco's over Harry's shoulder. "And we can all see who the girl in this _relationship_ is." The word 'relationship' was spat as if it left a foul taste on his tongue.

"And we can all see what a bigot you are," Harry replied just as coldly before he landed a heavy punch on the other boy's face. Nott crashed against the wall behind him, and looked upin surprise. He clutched his jaw, staring in shocked amazement that the exalted 'savior' just punched him. There was a moment of silence before chaos erupted in the hallway. A Gryffindor, of all people, and one that Harry didn't know, jumped on his back, pulling him to the side and dragging them both to the ground. 

"Harry!" Draco shouted in surprise, and pulled out his wand. 

"Stay out of it, traitorous fag!" shouted a sixth year Slytherin, drawing his wand and shooting a curse at Draco. The blonde rolled to the side and drew his own wand. 

Harry managed to throw his attacker off and scrambled quickly to his feet, turning around fast enough to throw up a shield to protect himself from a spell from behind. It rebounded and hit another student standing off to the side. The girl hit – a Ravenclaw – fell to her knees, and a few others around her knelt to check on her. That spurred a few other Ravenclaws to join the fight, and somehow a small bit of hate transformed into the worst inter-house fight Hogwarts had ever seen. The irony of it was that some house members were fighting their own, and not all of the insults and accusations were based on one's house. 

Punches, hexes and words alike flew with equal intent to hurt, and it was a full ten minutes later that a small group of younger Hufflepuffs arrived with McGonagall and Snape in tow. Snape was there because he'd been speaking with McGonagall when the students arrived in a panic to tell her about the fight.

"What is going on here?" McGonagall shouted, sounding appalled and surprised at once. A few people noticed and backed out of the fight, but most were too involved to pay attention to anything outside the ring of chaos. 

Snape decided a bit of intervention was necessary. "CEASE THIS INSTANT!" he roared over the students, and the effect was instantaneous. Everybody stopped at once, and slowly backed away, leaving Harry and Draco in the middle, and they backed against each other for support before looking over to the Headmistress and former professor. 

Lifting his hand to rub at the bridge of his nose, Snape sighed deeply. "Potter…I should have known you would be at the center of something like this."

Neither Harry nor Draco had the energy to point out that Harry wasn't the only one. Snape wouldn't have cared, anyway. They both looked a little worse for wear, as the two boys were the main targets for those who found the guts to stand up to them after Nott's public declaration of his hatred. 

"I am ashamed of you all!" McGonagall started, crossing her arms and looking every bit the stern parent with a misbehaving child. "Will someone tell me what in Merlin's name started this?"

"Harry punched a Slytherin!" a random younger year piped up helpfully. Harry only managed half a glare in their direction.

McGonagall's eyebrows rose in surprise, and she turned her gaze to Harry. "Is this true, Mr. Potter?" she asked, her lips pursing into a fine line. 

Harry frowned, and took a moment to stand up straight, putting a bit of pride into his stance. "I didn't punch him because he is a Slytherin, professor. Nott is determined to hurt Draco. Did hurt him, in fact…and me."

Draco leaned over a little closer to Harry. "You could at least _act_ remorseful," he muttered into the shorter boy's ear. "Are you trying to get yourself into trouble?" 

"I don't care," Harry growled back. "He has joined my top ten least favorite people list, and he deserved every hit."

Snape stepped forward, and looked coolly down his nose at Harry. "And I'm sure you think being the Dark Lord's defeater gives you the right to use the excuse of retaliation for anything?"

Harry raised an eyebrow in return, not willing to show weakness to this man, no matter his side, or relation to Draco. "I'm not making excuses, sir. I know it was wrong. I still don't like people making those I'm close to thinking I don't love them," he replied easily, reaching for Draco's hand and clasping it in his own without even thinking about it.

Snape observed the action from his peripheral vision with the slightest bit of annoyed revulsion. "That doesn't explain how you managed to get every house of Hogwarts involved in this fight, and on the first day back, no less." 

Harry shrugged, sweeping his eyes over the crowd. Some of them looked ashamed, some still looked angry and ready for round two, while others looked to be more scared of the pending punishment than anything. "That's an easy one. Nott's a homophobe, I attacked him, other homophobes defended him, and those more open minded defended us. Apparently this school is very opinionated about such things."

"Insolent brat," Snape muttered, more to himself than anything. 

McGonagall decided to make her presence known again at that point. "Personal views on such matters are to be kept as just that: personal views. And I thought _house_ prejudices were bad! All extra-curricular activities are hereby banned for the next two months, and there will be no Hogsmeade trips for the rest of the year."

Immediately the students broke out into complaints, groaning and whining about how that was 'unfair'. McGonagall held up her hand. "If you're all going to act like children, then you shall be treated as such. I am especially disappointed that most of the participants were upper years. And Mr. Potter, you will have detention with me for a month, for starting this fight."

Harry's jaw dropped. "Me! But I didn't start it, Nott-"

"It does not matter what Mr. Nott said. _You_ are the one who threw the punch. Now if we're all quite finished here, anybody in serious need of medical attention go to the infirmary and the rest of you are to go back to your dorms, or whatever you were doing before. Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, you two are to come with me." 

Her tone brooked no argument, and the two boys gave each other a slightly fearful glance before following, while Snape was left with the rest of the students. He may not be a teacher anymore, but even now, he could instill fear within the students as easily as any dark lord. 

When they arrived at the office, Dumbledore looked up from a book curiously as he sat in his chair within his portrait. Harry looked away, feeling that the man would be able to read him completely if he simply looked at him, and McGonagall walked around behind her desk. "Now tell me, Mr. Potter," she started, gesturing for the two boys to sit in chairs placed across the desk, "Why did you do this?" Her tone sounded disappointed, and Harry dropped his eyes to the floor. He hated disappointing those who had acted as his guardians, and he sighed before answering. 

"Because I won't have people like _him_ treating Draco _or_ our relationship like it's a worthless, meaningless, and _bad_ thing," he answered as his hands clenched into fists as they rested on his thighs. "I wanted Nott to know that stunts like the one he pulled before break will _not_ be tolerated." His lips curled to a frown and his brow furrowed as his anger for the Slytherin resurfaced. "And with all due respect, Professor, I would do it again, too. Hermione likes to call it my 'hero complex'. I don't care what it's called, but you know I won't stand for people hurting the ones I care for. That isn't going to change any time soon." 

Draco looked sideways at Harry's set posture, and smiled slightly. Harry was in hero mode, which meant he'd be stubborn as a mule until people were able to see his point. 

Harry stopped and looked over curiously, noting that Draco was being unusually quiet, considering this entire situation revolved around him just as much as it did Harry. When he caught Draco looking at him, the blond just smiled and shrugged, before turning back to McGonagall, and Harry shook his head. Leave it to Draco to sit back and let someone else take care of a problem. 

"What's happened here, then?" Dumbledore asked suddenly, looking very interested in the conversation. 

McGonagall sighed, and removed her glasses, dropping her head into her hand to massage her temples. "Mr. Potter here somehow managed to incite a civil war within the school." 

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose in surprise, and his eyes sparkled with amusement. "I thought you were past house prejudices Harry," he said with an interested look between the two boys. 

Harry smiled sheepishly, and gave a small shrug. "I am; it just _happened_ to be a Slytherin that insulted us. But it was a Gryffindor that attacked me, and then everybody jumped in and I'm not even sure now who was on which side."

"That is most unfortunate, especially after all you boys have done and been through. But as you know, people will be as they are, and you know you won't be able to change that, Harry. Though I must say it's an interesting break when house members start fighting their own. You always do invite trouble, don't you Harry," Dumbledore said with a laugh.

Harry pouted, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Wasn't my fault…" he grumbled, though it was with no real conviction, as he knew he was the one that threw the first punch. 

McGonagall's lips twitched as if she wanted to smile. "The punishment still stands, Mr. Potter: you will serve detention with me every weekday after your classes for a month."

Resigned to his fate, Harry sighed and nodded, before looking up at McGonagall again. "May we go now, Professor?" 

She looked as if she might want to object, or say something more, but Dumbledore suddenly announced that he wished to speak with her about something important, and smiled at the boys as the headmistress dismissed them both. 

"Shouldn't we make a stop at the infirmary?" Draco asked, eyeing Harry's wounds and tallying his own aches mentally.

Harry shook his head in an immediate answer. "Nott and a bunch of others had to…I'd rather just avoid the mess and go take a nap or something." 

Draco quietly agreed that that sounded good too, and led the rest of the way to his room. When they got there, Draco collapsed on the couch, and Harry headed towards the bathroom to splash some cool water on his face, sighing as it relieved a tiny bit of the soreness from the bruises forming. He walked back into the living room, and saw Draco absently massaging his own shoulder as he stared into the fire, rolling it occasionally and grimacing. 

Suddenly Harry wondered if they really should have gone to the hospital wing, and approached Draco slowly. "You okay?" he asked, coming to a stop just in front of the blond where he sat on the couch, so that their knees were touching. 

Slowly, Draco lifted his head and gave a half smile. "I'm fine, just tired." When he saw Harry's gaze directed to his hand on his shoulder, he shrugged – with a slight wince – and removed his hand. "Guess my shoulder is sore, too," he admitted. 

Harry brought his own hands to Draco's shoulders and began massaging gently, focusing his magic into his hands the same way he'd done the very first time he realized his new abilities. He looked down in surprise when a faint glow seemed to emanate from his chest, and saw the medallion glowing the same soft blue as his hands. He felt that soothing warmth it had put off when he first received it on Christmas, and goose bumps appeared on his arms as it mingled with his own energy. Maybe he would ask Draco about it later, after they had both rested. 

Draco moaned as the warmth of the magic flowed over sore and bruising muscle, and he slumped forward until his head rested against Harry's stomach. Harry smiled and continued the ministrations, roaming over Draco's arms, face, chest and back, banishing all wounds with the tingling touch of healing magic. When he was finished, he draped his arms lightly over Draco's shoulders, and ran one hand through the soft strands of hair resting against him. "Better?" he murmured.

Draco made a noise of assent, and nodded. They stayed like that for several moments longer before Draco spoke. "That's not going to happen again, is it?"

"What, the fight?" Draco nodded, and Harry chuckled. "I should hope not. Then again, I'm no seer, and people obviously aren't as accepting as I thought they were. I wonder why they were more outspoken about it now, anyway?" 

Draco wrapped his arms around the back of Harry's legs, and pulled until the smaller boy collapsed into his lap. He leaned back and closed his eyes, clasping his hands loosely behind Harry's back. "Because now the shock of the Dark-… of Voldemort's death has worn off. You know how this school is when it comes to the gossip mill, and now the next biggest thing to focus on seems to be us. And I'm sure some were fed opinions by pureblood parents who value continuation of a bloodline more than anything. 

Harry gave Draco a curiously suspicious look. "What about you then? Haven't you always been proud of the Malfoy line...?" he asked, suddenly hit by a bit of irrational fear that Draco's excuse about Harry wanting children before had really been for himself. 

But Draco only opened one eye, and said easily, "Don't you worry about that, Harry. I couldn't care less. The only family I need is right here in my arms." 

A sort of humbled shock flowed through him with the implications of that statement, and Harry blushed as a slow grin spread across his face as he rested his head against Draco's shoulder. "You couldn't handle any more than me, anyway," Harry said somewhat on reflex, hoping that a bit of banter would calm the feelings sparked by Draco referring to him as family. 

Draco rolled his eyes. "Brat," he muttered affectionately, flicking Harry's ear. His hand fell back to join his other one, and Draco was soon nodding off to sleep, while Harry grinned against his neck, tightening his grip around the body beneath him and sighing contentedly. He felt his own magic begin to heal him as he drifted into the world of dreams, and decided that no matter what the rest of the students, or the wizarding world, brought against him, he would be fine as long as Draco was right there with him. 

FIN

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

A/N: And there you have it. I'm not even sure if it was a good place to end, but if I didn't stop it there I'm not sure the story would ever be done with! 

Which would be unfortunate, because I think I've finally decided to do a sequel to this. You can thank my beta for the core idea of that too. (He somehow came up with the idea from one random sentence a couple chapters ago…go figure) All I ask is that you give me some time to organize my thoughts on it, and start writing it. For now, though, I thank you all for your support through this story. And my god the reviews! .:faints:

Hehe, anyway, be on the lookout for the sequel, where there is a child (yes that's vague on purpose), some relationships, and more intended plot than this one. :smiles:


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